Wout van Aert: Jumbo-Visma rider 'really ashamed' of 2022 Criterium du Dauphine finish disaster

ByAlexander Netherton

Updated 08/06/2022 at 06:33 GMT

Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert suffered a hugely embarrassing error at the finish line of Stage 3 at the Criterium du Dauphine. The Jumbo Visma cyclist raised his hands in triumph only to see his compatriot David Gaudu sneak in ahead of him in order to take a surprising win at the death. “I had it in my hands. I just had it,” confessed Van Aert afterwards.

Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma) says he was "really ashamed" to lose Stage 3 of the Criterium du Dauphine because he celebrated prematurely at the finish line.

The stage was instead won by David Gaudu (Groupama FDJ) as his fellow Belgian had his hands wrongly aloft in celebration.

Speaking after the race, Van Aert admitted his embarrassment.

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“You have to watch the replay,” he said. “I raised the arms a bit too early and I’m actually really ashamed to lose it like that, just big disappointment to not finish off our work today, and being so close.

“I had it in my hands. I just had it.”

Van Aert struggled to explain his mistake, saying he had never done anything like that before.

“I don’t think so, no. It’s even something when you see it with someone else you question how it’s possible - at least sprint to the line - but now I understand the feeling,” he stated.

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Looking ahead to Stage 4, a time trial, he hoped to get over the disappointment and physical exertion to attack his next chance of a win.

“The legs are still in a lot of pain,” he said. “Because it was a super hard final and also the second half of the stage we had to chase really hard in the bunch, because the breakaway was really strong today.

“First, recover, and hopefully have the same legs as the last couple of days. I must be able to do a good TT, but something for tomorrow.

I think I saw the finish, I was half a wheel behind with my hands in the air, one more pedal stroke, and it’s normally more than half a wheel difference so I had it in my own hands but I gave it away.

“Quite angry at myself, for sure I want to make up for it in the next go.”

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