David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) blew the victory to Belgian champion Wout van Aert in the third stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, Tuesday, at the arrival at altitude in the resort of Chastreix-Sancy (Puy-de-Dôme).
Gaudu went up in extremis van Aert who took over the leader’s yellow jersey after this mid-mountain stage concluded by the sprint of the peloton of the favorites.
At an altitude of 1396 meters, another Frenchman, Victor Lafay, took third place. The wearer of the yellow jersey, Alexis Vuillermoz, however, was distanced in the last 2.5 kilometers.
Aged 25, Gaudu, 11th in the Tour de France last year, took his ninth victory, the second of the season after a stage in the Tour of Algarve in Portugal.
The survivors of the day’s breakaway (Rolland, Gregaard, Schönberger) were joined at the foot of the final climb, 6.2 kilometers long at 5.6%.
Wednesday, the 4th stage takes the form of an individual time trial of 31.9 kilometers between Montbrison and La Bâtie d’Urfé (Loire) on a flat course, favorable to the most powerful riders.