Duo move up after TTT test

Kevin Vauquelin and Oscar Onley moved up to second and third overall after a after a strong team time trial that saw Netcompany INEOS finish second on stage three of Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes. 

The Grenadiers finished second on the 28.4km course, nine seconds behind stage winners Visma Lease-a-Bike as Matteo Jorgensen crossed the line first to move up to fourth overall.  

Vauquelin and Onley now both sit 12 seconds behind race leader Alex Baudin (EF Education Easypost) with Carlos Rodriguez 10th overall, 57 seconds behind. 

Earlier, Netcompany INEOS had made as strong start to the TTT, quickly establishing the fastest provisional time at the first intermediate check before Sam Watson had a chain issue that forced him out of contention. 

The team then set the fastest time at the next intermediate check, before an ill-timed dropped chain for Onley, who quickly corrected the issue, saw the team wait for him to ensure both GC riders were in contention ahead of the weekend's mountain tests. 

Netcompany INEOS set the fastest provisional time at the finish, before Visma Lease-a-Bike were able to edge past them and take the stage win.  

Reaction

Geraint Thomas 

“It was really positive from a performance point of view. The result is disappointing because it was taken away through mechanicals really.

“The ways the boys reacted to the different incidents on the road and the legs they had - that was really good. 

“A super positive day and it’s good these go wrong now and you’ve got to be able to put things right quickly and react well together, think about these things and have confidence in each other and be honest each other.

“This group is a new group together which is going on this journey to try and win the Tour de France eventually and get the best performance they can.

“It’s never plain sailing is it? There’s always ups and downs and that brings the guys together as well. I’m happy as the boys were strong today.

“The call the DS’ made on the road was to wait for Oscar, luckily he got his chain on pretty quickly but it means the stage win and the leader’s jersey for Kevin went.

“If you look bigger picture, we’re second and third on GC and this race is going to be won in the mountains by more than a couple of seconds, but it’s tough as everyone wants to win.

“Kevin is still on the way up and I don’t think he’s in top shape yet, so we expect him to make a step after this race. Oscar has had really good training blocks but in the races he’s had one thing or another to deal with like illness or crash and he’s not really got to show that

“We have two GC cards now and still all to play for."