David Gaudu delivered a stunning performance to secure victory in the uphill finish of the third stage at the Vuelta a Espana, while Jonas Vingegaard maintained his overall lead. This marks the third Vuelta stage win for the 28-year-old Frenchman, his first since 2020.

Gaudu, who finished third on Sunday, outmaneuvered his rivals on the final corner, narrowly beating Danish duo Mads Pedersen and Vingegaard. The Groupama-FDJ rider executed a brilliant inside line on the tight bend and surged past Pedersen in the final 50 meters, leaving Vingegaard trailing.

Vingegaard earned a four-second bonus for his third-place finish, while Gaudu gained 10 seconds for the win, bringing him level on time with the Dane. However, the two-time Tour de France champion retained the overall lead based on count-back of finishing positions.

Pedersen was a strong favorite for the 134.6km stage from San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres, and Gaudu admitted his victory was unexpected. "It was a surprise, yes, because I was thinking on the bus this morning the finish was more for Pedersen, but they said I could win today," Gaudu remarked. "The team did a very very good job and I'm very very proud to win for me and for the team. This is the best beginning of the Vuelta."

Great Britain's Tom Pidcock finished 23rd, maintaining his fifth position in the general classification. Tuesday's stage, a 206.7km medium mountain route from Susa to Voiron, is the last of four stages in Italy before the Vuelta moves to Spain.

Prior to stage three, Visma-Lease a Bike reported that several bikes had been stolen overnight from their mechanics' truck, prompting a police investigation. Meanwhile, Visma's Axel Zingle feared his bike had been stolen during Sunday's stage while he was receiving medical treatment for a dislocated shoulder that ended his Vuelta.

Zingle was involved in a crash that sent his team leader Vingegaard to the ground at the foot of the final climb on a rainy day. He remounted but dislocated his shoulder again while reaching for a snack, forcing him to abandon the race. "I wanted to grab a gel and I dislocated my shoulder again, so I had to stop," Zingle explained. "There was a guy there who didn't speak English very well, so I gave him my bike while I got into the ambulance to have my shoulder put back in place. When I came out, my bike was gone."

Visma later confirmed that the bike had been placed in the broom wagon following the race and had since been returned to the team.

Vuelta a Espana Stage Three Results

1. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama–FDJ) 2hrs 59mins 24secs
2. Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek) same time
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma–Lease a Bike)
4. Giulio Ciccone (Ita/Lidl-Trek)
5. Jordan Labrosse (Fra/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)

General Classification After Stage Three

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma–Lease a Bike) 10hrs 55mins 36secs
2. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama–FDJ) same time
3. Giulio Ciccone (Ita/Lidl-Trek) +8secs
4. Egan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) +14secs
5. Tom Pidcock (GB/Q36.5 Pro Cycling) +16secs

Related topics: Cycling, Vuelta a Espana, David Gaudu, Jonas Vingegaard, Visma bike theft