Thibaut Pinot showed character in the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country which was much harder than the previous two. During the first ascent of Zumarraga Wall, thirty kilometers from the finish, he had to dismount and was able to overcome a delay of one minute to get back to the lead group before conceding 18 seconds to winner Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha).

"In this wall where it was not possible to pass another rider, a spectator brought down Castroviejo (Movistar) and Thibaut who was in his wake, had to dismount, start to walk and finish on his bike," sports director Yvon Madiot said. " At the bottom of the descent, he was in a group of twenty riders 1 minute behind the first peloton. Thibaut then worked hard and managed to come back before starting the wall for the second time."

Henao (Team Sky) made the decisive attack, followed only by Rodriguez (Katusha) and Quintana (Movistar) while Pinot crossed the summit in twentieth position, only five meters from the riders who were in fron of him. There were still 3km to go and he could not get back onto their wheels.

"I did ​​a good descent, he told his manager," because I did not lose time to the others."

"Thibaut has limited the damage," Madiot said. "He is 10 seconds behind the Kwiatkowski group before the next two stages that are difficult and the time trial where he should be able to do well."

During this stage, the FDJ team lost another riderafter Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier and Arnold Jeannesson. Caught in a crash 60km from the finish, Jussi Veikkanen was also forced to give up.