Derek Gee Secures First WorldTour Win in Stage 3 of Critérium du Dauphiné

Canadian cyclist Derek Gee of Israel-Premier Tech achieved a significant milestone by winning Stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné at Les Estables, France. This victory marks Gee's first WorldTour win and places him in the yellow jersey, becoming the overall race leader.

Gee's victory came after a dramatic finish where he launched a double attack on the rising finish, passing Romain Grégoire of Groupama-FDJ in the final stretch to win with his arms in the air. Gee's winning move was set up by an attack from his teammate Krists Neilands, who strung out the peloton with a kilometer to go.

The key results of the stage saw Gee finishing first, followed by Grégoire in second place, three seconds behind. Lukas Nerurkar of EF Education-EasyPost took third place, also three seconds behind Gee. Magnus Cort of Uno-X Mobility, who lost the yellow jersey to Gee, finished fourth, while Primož Roglič of Bora-Hansgrohe finished tenth.

In a post-race interview, Gee expressed his elation, stating, *"It's unbelievably special to win here. I've been waiting for a win in Europe. I've come second enough times, and it was nice to finish it off. "* He credited his teammate Neilands for playing a vital part in his victory, saying, *"I think a massive part of it was Krists Neiland attacking with a kilometer to go, and I was in a good position. He just strung it out, and as soon as he came back, I wasn't planning on going there; it was just a lull when Krists came back, and I had to take advantage of it."*

The stage itself was a challenging 181 km route from Celles-sur-Durolle to Les Estables in the Massif Central, featuring several climbs. A breakaway group led for much of the race but was caught by the peloton with 3 km to go, setting the stage for the final sprint.

Gee's victory also saw him taking over the overall race lead from Magnus Cort. The general classification now sees Gee in the lead, followed by Cort and Grégoire, with Roglič remaining the best-placed overall contender.

The next test for the riders will be Wednesday's 34.4 km individual time trial, a pivotal stage that could significantly impact the general classification standings.

Derek Gee's win in Stage 3 of the Critérium du Dauphiné marks a significant achievement in his career, highlighting his potential as a top contender in professional cycling. During the race's progression, all eyes will be on the upcoming time trial and the overall standings.

Key Takeaways

• Derek Gee wins Stage 3 of Critérium du Dauphiné, his first WorldTour victory.
• Gee takes the yellow jersey, becoming the overall race leader.
• Romain Grégoire finishes second, three seconds behind Gee.
• Gee credits teammate Krists Neilands for setting up his winning move.
• Next stage: 34.4 km individual time trial, crucial for general classification.