Monday at the Vuelta a España brought high drama. French rider David Gaudu, from the Groupama-FDJ team, seized victory on the third stage. However, the real nail-biter was Jonas Vingegaard’s fight to keep his overall lead. The Danish cycling star managed to finish third, holding onto the coveted red jersey by the narrowest of margins.
Gaudu, a 28-year-old, tackled the 134.6-kilometer route through Italy with fierce determination. He completed the journey from San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres in a quick 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 24 seconds. Gaudu outpaced Denmark’s Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek right at the finish line, with Vingegaard coming in just behind them. It was a photo finish that kept everyone guessing.
The general classification standings now tell a thrilling story. Vingegaard, a two-time Tour de France champion from 2022 and 2023, still sits in first place. Yet, his lead is now shared in terms of time with Gaudu, who moved into second. Italy’s Giulio Ciccone, also from Lidl-Trek, holds third place, trailing by eight seconds. Portugal’s João Almeida, riding for UAE Emirates, is currently 11th, sitting 16 seconds behind the leader.
The race isn’t slowing down. On Tuesday, the fourth stage will also begin outside of Spain. Riders will set off from Susa, Italy, and push through 206.7 kilometers. The stage will conclude in Voiron, France, marking another international leg for this grand tour.