In the third stage of the Spanish race, two riders broke away together. They built a two-minute lead but were caught by the peloton on the Puerto de L'Oronet, the decisive climb of the day. Several riders then attempted attacking on the descent, and three riders managed to gain an advantage. The breakaway seemed poised to make it, but they were reeled in just two kilometers before the finish. In the final sprint, Balsamo emerged as the strongest.

“We did our best as a team today”, sports director Robby Cobbaert reflected. “The plan was to sprint with Nienke (Veenhoven) today, but we knew the climb would be crucial. Unfortunately, Nienke was dropped on the climb, but as a team, we did everything we could to bring her back. That didn’t work out, but luckily, Femke (de Vries) was able to finish at the front and maintain her place in the general classification.”

Tomorrow, the final stage presents another tough challenge, with plenty still at stake. “Tomorrow will be a crucial day for the general classification. A lot can still happen, and we will try to support Femke as much as possible to get her into the top ten overall. Based on what Femke has shown in recent days, that is certainly possible”, Cobbaert concluded.