Not Mads Pedersen, but David Gaudu is the somewhat surprising winner of the third stage of the Vuelta a España. The Frenchman proved faster than the top favorite from Lidl-Trek and Jonas Vingegaard after a tough finale in Ceres. The latter still leads the general classification, although Gaudu now shares the same time.
Although the Vuelta a España 2025 peloton reached the border with France on Sunday, it stayed a little longer in Italy on Monday for a tricky hilly stage. The third stage took the peloton from San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres. The organizers again designed a short stage (only 134.6 kilometers), with the Puerto Issaglio (6.4 km at 6%) along the route, but not as the main decisive climb.
After this second-category climb, the route followed rolling roads towards the finish in Ceres. In this small village—located in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy—a nice final challenge awaited: a finishing climb of 2.2 kilometers at an average gradient of 4.2%. It seemed tailor-made for Mads Pedersen, who was also aiming for a sporting comeback.
San Maurizio Canavese) Ceres)The day started with bad news for Visma | Lease a Bike. After Jonas Vingegaard’s double victory in the stage to Limone Piemonte, the team fell victim to bike theft overnight Sunday to Monday. The staff had to act quickly to get everything ready, but Vingegaard and his teammates were still able to ‘normally’ start the stage.
Victor Campenaerts and his teammates from Visma | Lease a Bike - photo: Cor Vos
Belgian part of early breakaway
On the day’s breakaway, it didn’t take long, as in previous days. After a few probing moves, four attackers succeeded in escaping: Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost), Patrick Gamper (Jayco AlUla), mountains classification leader Alessandro Verre (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), and Luca Van Boven (Intermarché-Wanty). The peloton allowed it and let the gap slowly but surely grow.
Led by Lidl-Trek—which had top favorite Mads Pedersen—the peloton kept the leading group in sight. At the foot of the Puerto Issaglio (6.4 km at 6%)—the hardest climb of the day—the maximum lead was recorded: two and a half minutes. On the slopes of this climb, the front group quickly broke apart. Verre was eager to take over the lead in the mountains classification and launched two attacks.
Mads Pedersen gains crucial points for green jersey; Quinn goes solo
With these accelerations, the Italian dropped Gamper first and then Van Boven, but Quinn held firm. The American decided not to oppose Verre’s quest for the mountains jersey. At the intermediate sprint in Cuorgné, the roles reversed: Quinn was 'allowed' to take the full points haul, ahead of Verre. Behind the two escapees, Mads Pedersen scooped up fifteen points in the fight for green, ahead of—yes—Vingegaard.
The peloton briefly split into two after the intermediate sprint but only for a very short time. As order was restored heading towards the sprint, Quinn seized his moment to break away solo. With about forty kilometers remaining, the former American champion dropped fellow escapee Verre but proved unable to fend off the chasing dangers alone.
About twenty kilometers from the finish, the American realized the futility of his mission and the last breakaway rider was brought back. Then it was a steady run to the final rolling kilometers in Ceres. That was without Jasper Philipsen, the green jersey wearer and stage winner in Novara, was out of energy and let the group go. Meanwhile, the pace increased further, bringing tension and nerves.
Gaudu like a bolt from the blue
Victor Campenaerts pulled the peloton on a string entering the last two kilometers, but Lidl-Trek then took command. And the American team did so convincingly. Ciccone set up Pedersen in a perfect position for his sprint, but the big favorite was surprisingly beaten by a revitalized David Gaudu.
The Frenchman—already third in Sunday’s stage to Limone Piemonte—showed better acceleration in the final meters after a slick move in the last corner, outgunning the two Danes. Pedersen had to settle for the most thankless runner-up spot. Vingegaard was third, picking up four bonus seconds and retaining ownership of the red leader’s jersey, though Gaudu now shares the same time.
Sean Quinn leads the charge - photo: Cor Vos
Stage winner Gaudu in ecstasy - photo: Cor Vos
Vuelta a España| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 02:59:24 | |
| 2 | " | |
| 3 | " | |
| 4 | " | |
| 5 | " | |
| 6 | " | |
| 7 | " | |
| 8 | " | |
| 9 | " | |
| 10 | " |
