Natnael Tesfatsion has claimed the victory at Circuito de Getxo 2026 after winning a thrilling reduced sprint ahead of Pau Miquel and Alex Aranburu. The Eritrean from Movistar Team capped a race shaped by the severity of Pike, the attacks from Giulio Ciccone and Marcel Camprubí, and a vibrant finale on the streets of Getxo.
The Basque classic once again delivered a real spectacle over its traditional 178 kilometres between Bilbao and Getxo. From the neutralised start, with a pleasant 25-degree temperature, the race was animated by relentless attacking on a leg-sapping route that hinged on two decisive ascents of Pike (2 km at 9.4%).
A large break controlled by UAE and Lidl-Trek
The opening kilometres were frenetic, with multiple moves before an eleven-man break finally stuck, featuring Paul Ourselin, Jonathan Lastra, Iker Mintegi, Fabien Grellier, Nickolas Zukowsky, Alex Díaz, Iker Gómez, Mattia Bais, Rodrigo Álvarez, Nicolas Sessler, and Ferran Miravalles.
The group enjoyed just over three minutes while UAE Team Emirates and Lidl-Trek shared the workload at the head of the bunch. Marcos Freire, Domen Novak, and Julien Bernard set the pace to keep the move in check for their leaders, especially Giulio Ciccone, Pavel Sivakov, and Jay Vine.
The break began to shed riders after a mechanical for Iker Gómez and, as the race approached Pike, the gap started to fall significantly.
The first ascent of Pike blew the race apart. The tempo set by UAE shattered the peloton and only four riders held the front of the race: Paul Ourselin, Jonathan Lastra, Nickolas Zukowsky, and Mattia Bais.
Soon after, Bais went solo, cresting first to lock up the mountains classification. However, the Italian could not withstand the drive from the favourites’ group, led by Lidl-Trek.
Natnael Tesfatsion, estrella de Movistar Taem
Ciccone and Camprubí light it up
On the decisive climb of Pike came the anticipated move from Giulio Ciccone. The Italian kicked hard and only Spanish champion Marcel Camprubí could initially match his acceleration.
The pair opened a small gap on a chasing group headed by Alex Aranburu and Ion Izagirre, even holding a few seconds over the top.
However, cooperation behind snuffed out the attack. With nine kilometres to go, the main group came back together with the likes of Sivakov, Jay Vine, Aranburu, Izagirre, Ciccone, Bonnet, Camprubí, Milan Vader, and César Pérez, while around twenty riders returned from the rear.
Tesfatsion finishes off Movistar’s work
In the closing kilometres, Bahrain Victorious and Cofidis took control, with strong pace-setting from Pello Bilbao to make it hard. Inside the final kilometre, Pavel Sivakov tried to tee up the finale for UAE.
The decisive move came with an attack by Milan Vader. Pello Bilbao reacted immediately and Natnael Tesfatsion was alert to close down the Pinarello rider.
Victory was settled in a reduced sprint between Tesfatsion, Pau Miquel, and Alex Aranburu. The Eritrean from Movistar Team kept his cool and launched the decisive effort to cross the line first, sealing a prestigious win in one of the most emblematic classics on the Spanish calendar.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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