Ivan Romero (Movistar) delivered a stunning solo performance to secure his first WorldTour victory in Stage 3 of the 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné, while also seizing the race lead from Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek). The 21-year-old Spanish climber executed a perfect tactical move, attacking from a breakaway with just 20 km to go and holding off a strong chase to take the win.
The stage, a demanding 200-kilometer trek from Brioude to Charantonnay, featured five categorized climbs, including the decisive Côte du Château Jaune, which came just before the final 20 kilometers. This tough finale set the stage for a battle of attrition, with riders battling for position before the final climb.
From the start, it was clear that the stage would be one for the climbers. The breakaway began to take shape after the intermediate sprint point, with Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) launching the first attack. He was quickly joined by a high-quality group of riders, including Axel Laurance and Michael Leonard (Ineos Grenadiers), Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies), and Eddie Dunbar (Jayco-AlUla).
As the breakaway pushed ahead, they built a solid gap of 90 seconds, but the peloton wasn’t about to let them get too comfortable. Teams like UAE Team Emirates, Jumbo-Visma, and Ineos Grenadiers quickly took charge at the front of the bunch, keeping the gap at a manageable distance as they approached the Côte du Château Jaune.
The climb to Côte du Château Jaune proved to be a key turning point. Early on, Florian Lipowitz was the most aggressive rider in the break, repeatedly trying to break free of his companions. However, he was marked by the likes of van der Poel and others, who refused to let him go. Despite the efforts of the attacking riders, the breakaway maintained cohesion as they reached the climb.
Once the gradient steepened, Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek) made a move from the breakaway and took Harold Tejada (XDS Astana) along with him. Lipowitz then bridged across and launched another attack at the summit, distancing the two riders ahead of him. The effort saw the gap to the peloton balloon back out to over 1 minute as Milan (Lidl-Trek) was dropped from the leaders.
As the group reached the final stretch of climbing and began the descent toward the finish, van der Poel and Lipowitz made further efforts to shake the group loose, but the battle for victory was still very much open. In a masterstroke of timing, Romero, sensing a moment of indecision in the group, launched a perfectly executed solo attack.
While the others hesitated, unsure of how to respond to Lipowitz’s earlier attacks and van der Poel’s move, Romero quickly found his rhythm and started pulling away. With every pedal stroke, he extended his lead, and the others in the breakaway—despite attempts to chase—couldn’t organize themselves in time to respond.
The young Spaniard’s time-trial effort saw him build a decisive gap, and as he crossed the line, Romero looked almost stunned by his own achievement. His arms went up in disbelief as he claimed a solo victory that was both hard-earned and thoroughly deserved.
Behind Romero, Tejada held on for second place, finishing with a respectable gap of around 30 seconds. Louis Barré (Intermarché – Wanty) rounded out the podium, securing third place in a tightly contested finish.
For Romero, it was a dream result—his first WorldTour victory and a huge moment in his career. The win also marked a significant milestone for Movistar, as they secured their first victory in over a month.
Still processing his win, Romero reflected on his achievement:
“I’m still in shock. I don’t know what to say, honestly. It’s been such a long road, and today was one of the hardest days I’ve had on the bike. The breakaway was tough to get into, but I felt really good and decided to take the risk. I knew that if the others gave me some space, I could make it. When I got a minute ahead, I just decided to go full throttle to the finish. This is the best day of the year for me, and I’m so grateful for the team’s support. We’ve been working towards this, and now we can see the results.”
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