By kazimladimeji La Vuelta a España 2025 Stage 3 Results: Gaudu Outsmarts Pedersen in Ceres, Vingegaard Holds Red
La Vuelta a España 2025 delivered another thrilling twist on Stage 3, a 134.6km medium-mountain route from San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres. On a day packed with short climbs and a technical uphill finish, David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) claimed victory with a perfectly timed attack. Despite the Frenchman’s brilliance, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) retained the red leader’s jersey, keeping the general classification battle delicately poised.
Stage 3 Recap: San Maurizio Canavese → Ceres
The day’s racing featured 1,996m of elevation gain, including a Category 2 climb at Issiglio-Morris (5.6km at 6.4%), a bonus sprint in Cuorgnè, and rolling ascents into Ceres. The finish was tailor-made for puncheurs, with narrow streets and sharp hairpins demanding both timing and courage.
In the finale, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) looked poised to sprint to victory. But Gaudu spotted his chance, diving through the last technical corners to outfox the Dane. He crossed the line first in 2h 59m 24s, with Pedersen second and Vingegaard taking third.
General Classification After Stage 3
Although Gaudu matched Vingegaard’s overall time, the Dane stayed in red thanks to previous results. The GC battle is now wide open.
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1 – Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) – leader (red jersey)
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2 – David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) – same time
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3 – Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) – +8 seconds
Elsewhere, Alessandro Verre moved into the KOM jersey, while Vingegaard still leads the points classification with 65 points.
Key Talking Points
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Gaudu’s tactical brilliance: His late move showed race craft and boldness, denying Pedersen in the final stretch.
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Vingegaard’s control: The two-time Tour de France champion remains calm, defending the red jersey without overextending.
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GC drama brewing: With Gaudu equal on time and more climbing to come, La Vuelta 2025 looks set for a fierce battle.
Stage 3 Results at a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Distance | 134.6 km (San Maurizio Canavese → Ceres) |
| Profile | Medium Mountain (1,996m elevation gain) |
| Stage Winner | David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) |
| Podium | 1 – Gaudu · 2 – Pedersen · 3 – Vingegaard |
| Red Jersey | Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) |
| GC Note | Gaudu tied on time, Vingegaard leads on countback |
What’s Next at La Vuelta 2025?
The race now leaves Italy and heads toward Spain, where bigger climbs await. With Gaudu level on time with Vingegaard, and challengers like Ciccone, Ayuso, and Roglič lurking, the GC battle is already one of the tightest in recent memory. Expect fireworks as the road steepens.
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La Vuelta 2025 Stage 3 Results – Gaudu Wins in Ceres, Vingegaard Keeps Red
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David Gaudu won Stage 3 of La Vuelta a España 2025 in Ceres with a smart late attack. Jonas Vingegaard kept the red jersey as leader, with the GC battle now tied on time.