"I managed to dive into the right gap" - Christophe Laporte benefits from chaotic sprint to consolidate yellow jersey at Criterium du Dauphiné

Christophe Laporte had already acomplished his goal at the Criterium du Dauphiné as he won the opening stage and took on the yellow jersey. This afternoon however in the third stage of the race he made further advances, beating Sam Bennett and Dylan Groenewegen in a flat bunch sprint.

"It is an unexpected victory, but of course I am very happy with it. That was not necessarily necessary. Turning it off was actually enough for me. We initially wanted to protect Jonas. If I succeeded, I would get my chance in the final," Laporte shared in a post-race interview.

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Jumbo-Visma stayed in the front of the peloton throughout the last hour of racing which saw a few crashes, and Laporte avoided the two tumbles that happened inside the final 2 kilometers. The finale was raced perfectly by the Frenchman, but he still had tough competition in the wheels ahead of him. "It was actually a day for the pure sprinters, but I had indicated to the team management that I wanted to go for it," he shares. 

He chose the right side of the road to make his move in the final meters, and had the speed to beat Sam Bennett who had started his sprint from the front. "Normally I'm not fast enough to beat guys like Bennett and Groenewegen. Groenewegen was blocked and I managed to dive into the right gap. At 500 meters from the finish I actually thought it was impossible to win. In the end I take it anyway, so it's an extra nice day."

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This victory has further expanded his lead in the race, which is now of 11 seconds over Julian Alaphilippe but 23 over most of the peloton - or better, the GC favourites. It gives him prospects of possibly keeping yellow throughout tomorrow's key time-trial. "I have a good time trial, but it will be very difficult. In a time trial of fifteen kilometers it would still work, but thirty kilometers is just too long. But of course I'll try," he concluded.

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