Tour of the Basque Country 2023: Vingegaard wins and takes GC lead in steep vineyard climb

foto: Cor VosThe 3rd stage of the Tour of the Basque Country comes down to the brutal last kilometre. Jonas Vingegaard kicks in the last 500 metres to win the race 2 seconds ahead of Mikel Landa and Enric Mas. The Tour de France winner is the new leader on GC. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2023 Itzulia Basque Country

1. Jonas Vingegaard (den)
2. Mikel Landa (spa) + 0.02
3. Enric Mas (spa) s.t.
4. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.08
5. David Gaudu (fra) s.t.
6. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 0.10
7. Felix Gall (aut) + 0.12
8. Andrea Bagioli (ita) s.t.
9. Simon yates (gbr) s.t.
8. Alex Aranburu (spa) s.t.

GC after stage 3
1. Jonas Vingegaard
2. Mikel Landa (spa) + 0.05
3. David Gaudu (fra) + 0.16
4. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.20
5. Enric Mas (spa) + 0.21
6. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 0.22
7. Matteo Sobrero (ita) + 0.23
8. Alex Aranburu (spa) + 0.25
9. Andrea Bagioli (ita) s.t.
10. Rémy Rochas (fra) s.t.

11. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
14. Sergio Higuita (col) + 0.32
16. Richard Carapaz (ecu) s.t.
17. Rigoberto Uran (col) s.t.

Race report
Simon Geschke, Pierre Latour and Georg Zimmermann attack virtually from the gun, but the peloton does not agree right away. After 40 kilometres of action Cavagna bridges across before Prodhomme and Guernalec make it six at the front. Their maximum lead never exceeds 2.30 minutes.

Cavagna halves the lead group with 66 kilometres to go. Only Latour and Zimmermann are able to follow on a short climb just after the first passage in Villabona. He repeats it on the first climb to Altzo. This time Latour is taken for a ride.

Zimmermann and Cavagna are caught in the second climb to Altzo. Huys counter-attacks with Mollema and Chaves in his wheel. The trio opens up a 20 seconds gap.

Chaves goes alone in the first of four steep ramps inside the last 15 kilometres. Knox and López go after him on the following climb to regain contact on the penultimate hill.

It comes together in the finish climb. López obstructs Higuita, who just launches an attack, but Vingegaard is unaware of this. The Tour de France winner kicks to open up a gap and he grinds his way to the win. Landa finishes in second, Mas in third place.

Vingegaard is the new GG leader, 5 seconds ahead of Landa with Gaudu 11 more seconds behind in third.

Another interesting read: route 3rd stage 2023 Tour of the Basque Country.