Results Itzulia Basque Country 2026 Stage 4 | Alex Aranburu wins thrilling finale as Seixas gains time on GC rivals

Alex Aranburu delivered a perfectly timed finish to win Stage 4 of Itzulia Basque Country 2026, holding off Tobias Halland Johannessen after a chaotic and relentlessly aggressive day of racing.

The Cofidis rider proved strongest in the uphill run to the line, sealing victory from a reduced front group, while race leader Paul Seixas turned defence into attack behind, gaining time on his general classification rivals.

The stage began with wave after wave of attacks, with no breakaway allowed to establish itself on terrain that offered no respite. Julian Alaphilippe was among the most active early on, while even larger moves were quickly brought back as teams refused to allow the wrong riders up the road.

That constant pressure gradually wore the peloton down, eventually leading to splits on the climbs and setting the stage for more decisive moves later in the day.

The first major move came from Brandon McNulty, who attacked over the top of the Jata and built a significant advantage through the descent.

At one point holding over two minutes on the race, the American looked to have forced a defining move, but a bike change and a coordinated chase from behind brought his effort to an end well before the finale.

The race then fractured again on the slopes of the Elorritxueta, where repeated accelerations reduced the front of the race to a select group. Riders including Marc Soler, Quinn Simmons, Tobias Halland Johannessen and Guillaume Martin featured prominently as the pace continued to thin the numbers, while the peloton, containing overall leader Paul Seixas, remained within striking distance.

The winning move formed over the final climb, where Alex Aranburu and Tobias Halland Johannessen emerged at the front as the race split once more. They were joined late by Christian Scaroni, while the chasing group continued to close in behind, bringing riders such as Ion Izagirre, Guillaume Martin and Pello Bilbao back into contention inside the final kilometres.

Despite the pressure from behind, Aranburu held his nerve, timing his effort perfectly on the uphill finish to take the win ahead of Johannessen, with Scaroni completing the podium.

Further back, Paul Seixas turned defence into offence on the descent, attacking from the reduced group of general classification contenders and immediately distancing his rivals.

He bridged across to a stronger chasing group alongside riders such as Igor Arrieta, Ion Izagirre and Pello Bilbao, significantly improving his position in the race.

Seixas ultimately crossed the line in eighth place at 14 seconds, gaining time on his general classification rivals and further strengthening his overall lead after another composed and intelligent ride.