“Gaudu divebombed both me and Pedersen – It was a pretty wild move” – Jonas Vingegaard frustrated after thrilling La Vuelta stage 3 finale

Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) voiced his frustration following a dramatic finish to stage 3 of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, where David Gaudu (Groupama - FDJ) surged past both him and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) in the final bend to claim a memorable uphill sprint victory.

The race leading Dane, who crossed the line third behind Gaudu and Pedersen, was candid about the decisive moment. “Mads Pedersen was riding really strong, and I didn’t think I could get past him — I was struggling a lot on his wheel,” Vingegaard explained in comments collected by Danish media outlet TV2. “Then, in the last corner, Gaudu divebombed both me and Pedersen on the inside, which was a pretty wild move.”

Vingegaard’s words capture the raw intensity and tactical complexity of the 2.5-kilometre punchy uphill finish in Ceres, where sprinters, puncheurs, and general classification contenders all jostled for position. With Lidl–Trek setting a relentless tempo throughout the day to protect Pedersen’s chances, the final kilometres saw a fierce battle for supremacy.

The stage saw an early breakaway get established, including Sean Quinn, Patrick Gamper, Alessandro Verre and Luca van Boven, only to be gradually reeled in by a peloton controlled tightly by Lidl–Trek. As the field approached the final climb of Issiglio, the race fractured under the pressure, with riders like Jasper Philipsen dropped from the group.

In the uphill finale, Vingegaard found himself marking Pedersen closely, but Gaudu’s explosive move in the final bend proved decisive. “It was a bit of a nasty move,” Vingegaard admitted, reflecting on the risky inside pass that took both him and Pedersen by surprise.

Though visibly frustrated, Vingegaard acknowledged the unpredictability that makes cycling so captivating. “But yeah, that’s cycling,” he said.

As the Vuelta moves forward, Vingegaard will surely be keen to recalibrate and respond. After all, with the race still in its early stages and the general classification battles just heating up, this podium finish demonstrates he’s in fine form and ready to fight for more.