David Gaudu powers to stage 3 victory at Tour de Romandie

David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) attacked at the perfect moment to beat Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) and race leader Primoz Roglic  (Jumbo-Visma) on stage three of the Tour de Romandie.

The breakaway of the day was at the end caught with 17 kilometres to go, just before the ascent of Villars-Bramard. A reduced group arrived together to the last ascent and the last kilometres witnessed attacks by riders like Davide Villella and Geraint Thomas, who were trying unsuccessfully to leave Primoz Roglic struggling behind.

Rui Costa was the first rider to try an attack but he was caught by Gaudu, who kept going and took the stage victory. Roglic wasn’t going to give up and he also accelerated at the last moment and crossed the finish line in the third position.

“I felt really good all day,” Gaudu said. “In the final, the guys did a great job to position me over the last couple of climbs. When we brought Thomas De Gendt back and I felt I still had some power in the legs. At the foot of the final climb I was up in the front positions and as we went up I was feeling pretty strong.

“Coming out of the final bend I knew I had to go for it but I didn’t overly believe I could do it. I said to myself: ‘all the way to the line,’ but thought that it wasn’t possible, that’d I’d finish second, but in the end, it smiled on me.”

Tour de Romandie 2019 – stage 3 results (Romont – Romont):

Tour de Romandie 2019 – general classification after stage 3: