Paul Seixas Makes History With Tour of the Basque Country Victory

French cyclist Paul Seixas secured his first WorldTour victory on April 6, 2026, after dominating the opening individual time trial stage of the Itzulia Basque Country in Bilbao, Spain. The 19-year-old rider, competing for Decathlon CMA CGM, claimed the leader’s jersey and all classification jerseys following a performance that placed him significantly ahead of the established professional field.

Seixas completed the 13.8-kilometre hilly course with a commanding lead, finishing 23 seconds ahead of Kévin Vauquelin of Ineos Grenadiers and 27 seconds ahead of Felix Großschartner of UAE Team Emirates-XRG. The victory marks a historical milestone for the young Frenchman, who has become the third-youngest rider in history to win a WorldTour race.

Race Dynamics and Course Performance

The opening stage in Bilbao was designed as a short but demanding test, featuring a steep opening climb on the Alto Santo Domingo, technical descents, and a punishing uphill finish. Early in the stage, former double overall winner Primož Roglič of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe appeared to set the benchmark for the day. Roglič surged into an early lead with a time of 17:37, gaining time across every sector of the course and establishing himself as the rider to beat.

Several other riders briefly challenged the lead during the event. Matthew Riccitello recorded the fastest split on the opening climb, though he lost significant time on the flatter sections of the course to finish 30 seconds behind the eventual winner. Tobias Halland Johannessen also threatened the lead at the first checkpoint but faded during the second half of the race, eventually conceding 29 seconds. Bruno Armirail briefly held provisional second place at 22 seconds, while Ben Tulett remained close in third.

The trajectory of the race shifted when Seixas began his effort. The French rider climbed the Alto Santo Domingo significantly faster than any previous starter. By the time he reached the second intermediate point, he had extended his advantage and continued to accelerate toward the finish line. Seixas ultimately stopped the clock 28 seconds faster than Roglič, who finished in fourth place.

Impact on General Classification

The result has created significant gaps between Seixas and other key contenders for the general classification. While Roglič remains within 28 seconds of the lead, other former race champions suffered more substantial losses. Juan Ayuso of Lidl-Trek finished 1:16 behind Seixas, a result described as considerably below expectations that diminishes his prospects of repeating his 2024 general classification victory.

Similarly, Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates-XRG finished 51 seconds back, while Ion Izagirre of Cofidis trailed by 1:01. These margins are particularly notable given the relatively short distance of the 13.8-kilometre stage.

Reactions from Seixas and Team

Following the victory, Seixas attributed the result to careful preparation and pacing. He stated, It was perfectly planned, I think I did the right pacing, the team were really good, we were well-prepared and today all this work paid off.

In a statement released by his team, which described the effort as flawless, Seixas expressed surprise at the scale of his victory.

I’m thrilled. This is the result I was hoping for, of course, but I didn’t expect to win by such a margin. It’s a wonderful surprise. This is my first WorldTour win in a discipline I love, one that my team, my coach, and I have been working hard on since my junior days.

Paul Seixas

Seixas enters the remainder of the Itzulia Basque Country in the driver’s seat, holding a 23-second advantage over Kévin Vauquelin and a 27-second lead over Felix Großschartner.