Gaudu takes right line to Vuelta stage win on tough day for overall leader Vingegaard

CERES, Italy (AP) — David Gaudu took a clever inside line at the tight final turn of an uphill sprint to win stage three of the Spanish Vuelta on Monday, and Jonas Vingegaard retained the leader’s red jersey.

It was a day of three losses for Vingegaard, who earned the overall lead by taking Sunday’s stage.

Race favorite Vingegaard learned in the morning that bicycles were stolen from his Team Visma Lease-a-Bike overnight, then his support rider Axel Zingle dropped out of the race because of a shoulder he injured in a crash on Sunday.

Team Visma said Italian police were investigating the theft of the bikes from its mechanics’ equipment truck. Vingegaard praised the mechanics’ urgent work to get the team ready for the early afternoon stage start.

The first three stages of the three-week Spanish Vuelta are being raced in Italy.

Monday’s stage was a 135-kilometer (84-mile) ride with an uphill finish into Ceres in the Italian Alps north west of Turin.

Gaudu timed his late run perfectly, edging Mats Pedersen close to the finish line. Vingegaard was third, losing his chance going too wide at the sharp right-hand turn with 50 meters to go.

The day’s breakaway of four riders was left with just Sean Quinn out in front until the American was caught with about 19 kilometers (12 miles) to go.

The fourth stage on Tuesday is more testing, heading into France through the mountains on a 206-kilometer (128-mile) trek from Susa in Italy to Voiron.

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