EF boss Vaughters releases the insane power numbers it took for Baudin to win Dauphinè stage 1

Many had in mind a long-range attack by Paul Seixas, or a sprint victory for Isaac Del Toro in a reduced group. But anyone who predicted Alex Baudin as the winner of the opening stage of the Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes is now a lot richer. The win by the Frenchman from EF Education-EasyPost was, however, by no means a lucky break. Not only was he on homeroads, but his team boss, Jonathan Vaughters, has released his staggering power numbers

Baudin was part of the development pathway at Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale as a junior. After a short stop at the then continental Tudor team, he earned a WorldTour contract with the French squad, and in 2024 he enjoyed a top year there. He finished fourth on the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia, third in the Tour of Guangxi and won the Tour du Limousin.

Even so, he chose a new adventure. The young Frenchman stepped outside his comfort zone and moved abroad: he signed for EF Education-EasyPost. There he had already shown flashes of his class, including at the Tour de Romandie, but this year he has taken another step forward. He finished ninth in Paris-Nice and the Tour of the Basque Country, and sixth in La Flèche Wallonne.

There was general surprise after Baudin's daring stage 1 win, a feeling also shared by EF Education-Easypost team boss Jonathan Vaughters. Baudin's boss released the Frenchman's power data after the stage on Instagram, with a caption that underlined his disbelief. "I just didn’t understand how Alex actually went away from the front group (favorites/GC) on the last climb after being in the break all day," wrote Vaughters. "Well, now I understand. 6.3w/kg for 20mins after being in the wind all day. That’ll do it."

For Baudin, the victory, only his third as a professional, was especially special. He is a true local rider, coming from Albertville, a little further north-east of the finish in Saint-Ismier. That allowed the Frenchman to celebrate his win in front of friends and family. “I can’t describe how this feels,” he says in the flash interview. “I don’t think I have realised it yet. It is amazing to have my family here, an hour from my home. It is crazy.”

Even better, Baudin takes the yellow jersey with his victory. “Tomorrow will not be easy, it is a super-long stage. But you just have to defend a yellow jersey, so we will do everything we can.” The big moment, of course, should come later this summer, at the Tour de France, where the race passes close to Baudin’s home once again. That is where the Frenchman wants to shine. “I hope I can take this confidence and this form with me to the Tour de France in July.”

Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]