Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers) continued his run of success this season with the two-up sprint victory on stage 3 at Itzulia Basque Country.
The Frenchman launched off the wheel of breakaway companion Igor Arrieta (AE Team Emirates-XRG), who started his sprint first but faded in the final metres on the uphill finale, securing his fourth win of the season. Arrieta was forced to settle for second place in Basauri.
The pair were part of a larger 16-rider breakaway that formed mid-race, but they split off the front at the top of the last categorised ascent, Sarasola, with roughly 25km remaining of the 153km race.
Natnael Tesfatsion (Movistar), who was also part of the original breakaway, crossed the line in third place from the chase-group sprint.
Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) maintained his overall race lead with 1:59 ahead of Primož Roglič and 2:08 ahead of Florian Lipowitz (both Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).
