Igor Arrieta battles to brave second place on stage 3 of Itzulia Basque Country

Coming up just short in a thrilling finale at Itzulia Basque Country, Igor Arrieta rode to second place on stage 3 for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. On a punchy uphill finish in Basauri, the young Basque native lost out to the fast finisher Axel Laurance of Ineos Grenadiers.

It was a brave and determined ride from the local, who spent most of the afternoon in the day’s breakaway. With all eyes on the stage victory, it had been a big battle just to get into the select group of riders that made its way off the front, but it was a fight that Arrieta would not let go.

Once off the front, Arrieta worked diligently to extend the breakaway’s advantage. That gave the break an advantage of a minute and a half heading into the penultimate climb of the day, which was a healthy gap but one that meant the riders would need to work well to reach the finish before the peloton.

As such, on that penultimate climb of Bikotx Gane, Arrieta pressed ahead alongside seven other riders, including Laurance, the eventual stage winner. These riders continued their charge towards the finish, and their work increased the front group’s advantage over the peloton to two minutes on the last climb of the stage.

Using his local knowledge, Arrieta pressed on over the summit of that final climb, known as the Sarasola, and it was only Laurance that could follow the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider’s wheel. Together, they created a gap over their breakaway companions, and as they headed towards the final 20km, they worked in unison to ensure they would contest the stage victory between them.

Once in sight of the finish town, Arrieta looked to conserve his energy as best possible, in the knowledge that Laurance packed the strongest punch for the uphill finish to come. Sensing this disadvantage, it was Arrieta who first opened up his kick for the line in Basauri, hoping to dislodge the Frenchman from his wheel.

Alas, it was not to be for Arrieta, who was passed by Laurance with only 75m of the day remaining. Exhausted as he crossed the line, the Spaniard was sad to miss out on the victory, but his efforts were rewarded with the combativity prize and a spot on the day’s podium. It had been a fine outing for the man from Navarre.

Arrieta: “It was a really hard day. I knew that Axel was really the favourite for today’s stage, I tried my best in the breakaway and in the end, I was on the limit. I tried to pass him as much as possible, knowing that he is faster than me in the final, but it is what it is. I did my best so congratulations to him.

“When we go together [off the front], you need to still push as hard as possible, and then in the end I tried to save as much as I could to win the sprint against him. Unfortunately, he was just the strongest today.”

Itzulia Basque Country 2026 stage 3 results:

1. Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers) 3:38:33

2. Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +2″

3. Natnael Tesfatsion (Movistar) +14″

Itzulia Basque Country general classification after stage 3:

1. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) 8:08:24

2. Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +1:59

3. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +2:08