2019 Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 3 Results & Recap
Stage 3 of the 2019 Critérium du Dauphiné is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) claimed stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphine after a perfect lead out from his team. The Irish rider outkicked Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma) and Davide Ballerini (Astana) at the line in Riom to take his seventh win of the year.
“It was a bit nervous today. I always find it harder when I’m the point of reference in the sprint,” Bennett said after the stage. “Today the other sprinters were watching where I was, it was hard to put everything together because GC riders and sprinters were all towards the front but it worked really well in the end. My team-mates worked very well all day. They rode at the front and they were there to position me in the final. At the last moment, I told [lead out man] Shane [Archbold] that I was still feeling good. I’m trying to get a stage win at every stage race I take part in. Only at the Tour de Romandie I didn’t this year. I just try to keep improving myself, keep the consistency and keep going as a rider.”
Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Merida) continues to lead the Dauphine by three seconds ahead of Guillaume Martin (Wanty Groupe Gobert). Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) is in third a further 20 seconds back before the time trial in Rohane.
“It wasn’t easy to recover from yesterday’s efforts during today’s stage because of the bad weather,” Teuns said. “The cold also made the race really hard but I had no issues in the finale so everything went well for my first day in the yellow-blue jersey. It’s a big day tomorrow, also for me to try and keep the jersey. At the Tour of Valencia, I was only one second slower than Tony Martin in the individual time trial and I’m now in really good shape so I have to believe in myself. I’ve prepared very well for the Dauphiné and what’s coming after. I’m really happy about the form. Hopefully, it’ll give me some more success soon.”
On a stage destined to be one for the sprinters, Natnael Berhane (Cofidis) and Quentin Pacher (Vital Concept-B&B Hôtels) took off after the flag dropped, and stayed off the front together until the last 10 kilometres. Berhane was the first over the top of each of the categorized climbs, but as they were all category 4, only collected a single point.
With Bahrain-Merida, Bora-hansgrohe and Deceuninck setting the pace in the peloton, the duo were never allowed much breathing room and enjoyed a maximum of 3’45” midway through the race.
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