Laurance takes a breakaway win in the Basque Country

After an opening time trial and a high-stakes GC battle on stage 2, the third stage of the Itzulia Basque Country was one for the break. A trek through the hills south of Bilbao saw the escapees build up enough of an advantage to fight for the stage a little over a minute ahead of the bunch. Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers) and Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates XRG) left their breakaway companions behind on the day's final categorized climb with about 25 km to go, and they would battle for the win between them. Laurance proved fastest in the finale, leaving Arrieta to settle for second with Natnael Tesfatsion (Movistar) taking third on the day at 14 seconds back. Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) finished safely in the bunch to retain his overall lead.