Vollering used the climb to Mendizorrotz ten kilometres before the finish for her decisive attack on the 115-kilometre course around San Sebastian to secure a decisive lead. She opened up a lead of just under a minute on the first chasing group, which included the previous overall leader Mischa Bredewold (Team SD Worx - Protime). As in the previous year, Bredewold had won the first two stages in a sprint, the second ahead of Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), who was unable to take part in the final day due to illness.

Antonia Niedermaier kept the German flag flying high. She was the last to follow Vollering on the final climb, but also had to give in and was caught by the chasing group around Bredewold. In the overall standings, the 22-year-old finished in eighth place. That was enough to win the junior classification.

Vollering ends remarkable series of her former team

Bredwold finished second in the final standings, third was the Canadian Sarah van Dam (CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team), who gained the decisive seconds on the last day after she and Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance - Soudal) rode out of the bunch in the final metres of the race and gained additional bonus seconds as second on the day.

Vollering's Itzulia record, meanwhile, remains unblemished. In her fourth participation - the race has not existed for longer - she has won the race for the third time (2022, 2024, 2025), in the year in between she finished second behind her then team-mate Marlen Reusser. She has won seven stages in those four years, and all three on her debut. It is also worth noting that only SD Worx had previously been able to celebrate victories in the Basque Country. Vollering's move to FDJ has now brought this streak to an end. This was also favoured by the fact that the actual SD Worx frontwoman Anna van der Breggen had already crashed on the first day and did not compete afterwards.

"If there's a mountain in the race, I know how strong I am," said Vollering, who took stage and classification wins 51 and 52 of her career. This year she has eight, seven of them in Spain. "Because I crashed yesterday, I was a bit stiff and my muscles were aching, but I was already feeling worse," said the 28-year-old, who put on another show of strength.

Itzulia Women 2025 - Results of the 3rd stage

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This is how the 3rd stage of the women's Tour of the Basque Country went

As on the first two stages, little happened at first. It wasn't until the Jaizkibel (1st category) that the first attacks were made, but they didn't bear fruit. Demi Vollering (FDJ - Suez) was also part of a group of up to 20 riders, but was immediately brought back. Only Ava Holmgren (Lidl - Trek) went into the descent with a few seconds advantage, but did not want to go all the way alone.

On the way to the Medizorrotz (2nd category), Sara Martín (Movistar Team) and Célia Le Mouel (CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team) broke away, but the duo was caught again at the start of the last climb of the day before Vollering went on the offensive again. Mavi García (Liv Jayco AlUla) and Niedermaier went with him. Bredewold also tried, but quickly had to let go again.

Four kilometres before the summit, Vollering had also dropped Garcia and then Niedermaier. She went into the final ten kilometres, which were mainly downhill, with a good one minute lead over the group around Bredewold. Somewhere in between was Niedermaier, who was caught by her pursuers on the descent.

Vollering, on the other hand, kept her pursuers at bay and crossed the finish line with a lead of just under a minute. Behind her, van Dam and Ghekiere were still fighting for seconds, which were still relevant in the overall classification.