Cycling: Alex Aranburu won the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country – or so he thought. The Spaniard attacked from the group of favorites in the final kilometers and was not caught – but he benefited greatly from having taken a shortcut. He was subsequently demoted, and Frenchman Romain Gregoire was declared the winner.
Gregoire comes second and still wins
The 156,6-kilometer third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country from Zarautz to Beasain was a real challenge. Numerous attacks and tactical maneuvers ensured a thrilling race for the stage victory and the overall ranking. The two Germans also performed well. Maximilian schachmann (Soudal – Quick Step) and Florian Lipowitz (RB – Bora – hansgrohe) in excellent shape. In the final kilometers, events unfolded rapidly, as Joao almeida (UAE) and Alex Aranburu (Cofidis) were able to create a gap. Because the Portuguese driver made a mistake in a roundabout, the Spanish champion suddenly found himself at the front as a soloist. At another roundabout, Aranburu took the right lane, even though it was closed. This gave him a decisive advantage over his competitors and allowed him to cross the finish line first. Since the stewards did not miss these images, he was subsequently demoted and Romain Gregory (Groupama – FDJ) was named the deserved winner. Schachmann thus moves up to second place and extends his lead in the overall standings.
Aranburu took a shorter route, but a Basque rider will never be relegated in Itzulia I guess pic.twitter.com/fetJTiDy7j
— Eritropoetina ♂️ (@Eritropoetina) April 9, 2025
Cofidis' Alex Aranburu cruises over the line after a late move to take the win in Stage 3 of Itzulia Basque Country! pic.twitter.com/VAFGfkbWCI
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) April 9, 2025