"It will be a battle between the overall classification riders" - Jonas Vingegaard previews GC battle at Itzulia Basque Country's steep finale

Stage 3 of the Itzulia Basque Country will be a brutal test for all riders looking to perform in the GC. It's finale on an over 20% ramp will see the GC riders come to the fore, in what is a very treacherous and difficult day.

“I felt good yesterday on the steepest climb, but it was still a long way from the finish. Today we finish uphill, that's nice. It will be a battle between the overall classification riders today. Will we take control? That will depend on various factors," Vingegaard told reporters this morning. He's finished within the peloton yesterday in a dangerous downhill finale, and started today's stage well positioned.

Due to the bonifications he took on the opening day of the race Vingegaard was fifth at the start of the day. The terrain won't be ideal for him, but the Dane has shown that in his best form and in this field he shouldn't be losing time to his rivals, under normal circumstances.

“I hope all riders who fell are doing well (which isn't the case, Marc Sole was a favourite for the GC and has abandoned with a hand fracture)," he said of yesterday's unusual finale. "The final was really bad. We really need to do something about this in the future. If you start such a descent with twenty riders, it might be a different story. But now it was a large peloton and then you know it is dangerous."