Ukrainian national champion Andrei Ponomar (Dronehopper-Androni Giocattoli), back racing for the first time since the war began in his country, was in the lead group on a rain-soaked third stage of the Circuit de la Sarthe in France. [Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-Easy Post) was caught before race leader Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) overhauled Kevin Vokelan (Alcare-Samsic).

The earlier move looked like a victory for Ponomar, whose season had been interrupted by the war in Ukraine.

"He retired on the last stage of the Gran Camino (February 26)," explained sport director Giampaolo Cheura. 'The war started and he was strongly affected. The team did everything in their power to bring his mother and seven-year-old sister back to Italy.

Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli's Giovanni Ellena, Sportif head director and non-governmental organization La Memoria Viva, successfully brought the Ponamar family from the Polish border to the team's home in Piemonte a month ago. They then relocated to Vicenza with Mark Padun of EF Education-East Post under former time trial world champion Serhiy Honchar (2000).

"Compared to a month ago, Andrei is calmer. 'It's nice to see him like this. Today he showed his strength again. He was eager to get away this morning. In France, a breakaway can work. It didn't work today, but he had a chance. He rode a good race. He has a strong desire to show his skills."

Ponomar came out of the team's camper with a smile on his face and spoke to Cycling News about the race.

"It was going to be a hard day with the wind and the rain, so I decided to get away," said Ponomar, who hails from Chernihiv, now in complete ruins.

"So I warmed up before the stage started, and after about 10km the breakaway was set. I got into the breakaway and we switched well. I was always in a good rhythm. I could have won the stage today. The peloton caught me two kilometers before the end. With five kilometers to go I was going to jump out and it might have worked, but I had already used a lot of energy and I was a bit tired."

"I had bronchitis before this race, so I felt tired, but now I am confident that I have found good legs for the Giro d'Italia.

Ponomar, the youngest ever participant in last year's Corsa Rosa at the age of 18, finished the race.

"There's still a month until the Giro," he said. At the moment it's hard to know how I'll be in May. I have a bad case of bronchitis and I'm still recovering."

Ponomar will participate in the Giro di Sicilia next week. After a good showing at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Ponomar was named the final member of the Gianni Savio-led team and will likely be the flag bearer with the national champion jersey at the team presentation in Budapest, Hungary, on May 4.

"I know his father is a soldier in the Donbass [Ukrainian region], but that's nothing new," Cheura said. 'It's been his job since 2014. But Andrei doesn't talk about it, so we don't ask him. We understand that he has much more information about what is happening in Ukraine through social media than we know through mainstream networks."