Itzulia Basque Country Stage 3: Axel Laurance Claims Breakaway Victory as Paul Seixas Tightens Grip on GC

Stage 3 of the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country delivered a classic Basque attrition battle, with a strong breakaway contesting the win while the general classification contenders navigated a relatively controlled day behind.
A high-quality breakaway takes shape
After an aggressive start featuring numerous attacks, an 11-to-16-rider breakaway eventually gained clear air. The move included several strong riders such as Ilan Van Wilder, Lorenzo Fortunato, Guillaume Martin, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers), and Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).
Despite initial chasing from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team and Cofidis, the peloton gradually relinquished control. The gap, initially kept under one minute, ballooned to more than three minutes as coordination in the bunch faltered. From that moment, the stage victory was destined to come from the escapees.
Decisive attack on the final climb
The race began to fracture on the categorized climbs, with fatigue becoming evident. The pivotal move occurred on the Sarasola climb and subsequent descent, where Laurance and Arrieta accelerated clear of their breakaway companions with around 25–30 km remaining.
Behind, the chase group struggled to organize effectively, while the peloton drifted further back. The leading duo worked well together until the final kilometre, maintaining a clear advantage.
Laurance prevails in the uphill sprint
In the closing kilometres, the temporary lull in cooperation between Laurance and Arrieta allowed the chasers to close slightly, narrowing the gap to around 30–40 seconds at one point. However, late bridging attempts from riders including Martin, Van Wilder, and Johannessen lacked the necessary cohesion and came too late.
On the steep uphill finish in Basauri, Arrieta opened the sprint first, but Laurance responded powerfully from his wheel, surging ahead in the final 100 metres to claim a convincing victory. Arrieta took second place, with the remainder of the breakaway group arriving shortly afterwards. Natnael Tesfatsion rounded out the podium in third.
GC picture shifts further in Seixas’ favour
While the breakaway fought for the stage honours, the overall standings continued to evolve. Isaac del Toro abandoned the race after crashing earlier in the stage, and Mikel Landa did not start due to injuries from the previous day. Juan Ayuso endured another difficult afternoon, being dropped early and losing additional time.
Race leader Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) enjoyed a relatively straightforward day in the peloton. With no significant attacks from the main GC favourites, his team monitored the situation calmly, allowing the break to contest the win without endangering his lead.
After three stages, Seixas’ advantage stands at 1:59 over his closest rival (Primož Roglič), with the young Frenchman’s position looking increasingly dominant as the race heads into the tougher remaining stages in the Basque Country.