The battle for the breakaway started immediately after the start. On the successive climbs, several groups formed, and eventually a large group managed to get clear. Armirail was attentive and made it into the group that moved clear at the front. The Frenchman then spent a large part of the day in the breakaway, playing an important role for Team Visma | Lease a Bike.
With the Alto de Aitana approaching, the gap to the remaining breakaway riders gradually decreased. On the 22-kilometer final climb, the pace in the group of favorites increased further. Armirail was eventually unable to stay with the best climbers, after having spent many kilometers in the breakaway.