Tour of the Basque Country 2015: Purito bests Henao and Quintana, Henao new leader

Eleven climbs and eight with a categorization, stage 3 in the Tour of the Basque Country is definitely for the climbers. With 3 kilometres left the Antigua is a super-steep monster and it's there Sergio Henao detonates the fireworks with Rodríguez and Quintana on his wheel. In the streets of Zumarraga Purito outsprints his companions, while Sergio Henao is the new overall leader. Quintana is third in the same time as his compatriot. (Slideshow route/profile)

Tour of the Basque Country 2015: Results stage 3

1. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa)
2. Sergio Henao (col) s.t.
3. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
4. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 0.07
5. Rafal Majka (pol) s.t.
6. Michele Scarponi (ita) s.t.
7. Samuel Sanchez (spa) + 0.10
8. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
9. Simon Spilak (slo) s.t.
10. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.

GC after stage 3
1. Sergio Henao (col)
2. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) s.t.
3. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
4. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 0.07
5. Samuel Sanchez (spa) s.t.
6. Rafal Majka (pol) s.t.
7. Michele Scarponi (ita) s.t.
8. Daniel Moreno (spa) + 0.10
9. Alexis Vullermoz (fra) s.t.
10. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.

Race report
A few kilometres into the race and Lieuwe Westra, Sander Armée, Omar Fraile and Hugh Carthy jump of the front of the pack. Fraile is eyeing up the KOM jersey (again) and takes most points on all peaks, until Westra attacks at the climb that will be the closing climb later on, the Antigua. The Dutchman is the first to crest the penultimate climb also and with a 0’44” gain he reaches the foot of the last climb.

That’s not enough and at the steepest section of the Antigua the Dutchman is reeled in. Sergio Henao attacks with Rodríguez and Quintana on his wheel. The trio race for the win and it’s Purito outsprinting Henao. Quintana let’s go, obviously convinced he will finish the job later this week.