Alex MacQuoid
Kevin Vauquelin safely navigated the chaos of Stage 3 in the Tour de France, preserving his grip on the white jersey. With confidence intact, the 24-year-old Arkéa – B&B Hotels rider now sets his sights on Stage 4 — and a possible tilt at yellow in Rouen.
“At the start of the day, it was really quiet. We didn’t even have any rain in the end,” Vauquelin shared in a team media update, reflecting on the early calm. But that serenity quickly vanished. “Then it became very nervous after Cassel,” he noted, alluding to the tension that gripped the peloton after the day’s lone categorized climb.
The closing kilometres were a minefield of crashes, and Vauquelin knew it. “It’s never nice to see others fall, but I tried to keep a safe distance and managed to avoid the crashes,” he said. One of the unlucky ones was Remco Evenepoel, a key rival for the white jersey, who hit the deck with five kilometres remaining. “I was right behind him, which helped me avoid the pile-up,” Vauquelin explained, visibly relieved.
Even earlier in the stage, danger lurked. “Already in the intermediate sprint, I was near the front. It was tense, but I was able to steer clear. Still, it’s a shame to see someone abandon because of that,” he added, highlighting the race’s ruthless edge.
Despite it all, Vauquelin ended the day adorned in white — and energized by the crowd. “Spending the day in the white jersey was fantastic. It’s beautiful, and I was encouraged by fans the entire way,” he said.
Stage 4 brings new possibilities. With a route ending in Rouen that promises opportunities for punchy attackers, Vauquelin believes it could be his moment. “It’s a course that suits me. I haven’t seen it myself, but friends and family who know it well have given me good insight.”
As for the yellow jersey? He’s not ruling it out. “Of course, the Maillot Jaune is on my mind. I’m not a general classification contender, so maybe they won’t mark me. But wearing it into Caen? That would be something special. We’ll see what happens.”
With poise, ambition, and the form to back it up, Vauquelin might just make good on that dream — if Rouen delivers the right script.