Results Itzulia Basque Country 2026 stage 5 | 19-year-old Paul Seixas asserts dominance again and outsprints Florian Lipowitz after brutal Izua showdown

Paul Seixas tightened his grip on the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country with a third stage win, overpowering Florian Lipowitz in a two-man sprint after a brutally attritional day around Eibar.

The race leader once again proved untouchable when it mattered most, responding to every move before taking full control on the decisive climbs and finishing it off in the sprint after a long-range duel.

The stage had initially developed along very different lines. A large breakaway of around 35 riders was allowed to clear in the opening phase, with the Decathlon CMA CGM Team content to manage the situation from behind as the gap stretched towards five minutes.

That move shaped the rhythm of the race for more than half the stage. With strong climbers such as Guillaume Martin, Alex Aranburu, Ben Healy, and Lorenzo Fortunato involved, it carried real weight, both for the stage and for the overall standings, particularly as the race fragmented over the Basque climbs.

Even within the break, cohesion proved fragile. Steven Kruijswijk and Baptiste Veistroffer drove the early phase before repeated attacks thinned the front group, eventually leaving Healy and Marc Soler as the strongest survivors heading towards the final climbs.

What had been a controlled situation behind shifted sharply as Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe reignited the race through Florian Lipowitz, forcing Seixas into action earlier than expected. But rather than being put under sustained pressure, the race leader absorbed the attacks before taking control himself.

On the slopes of the Izua, Seixas made that shift decisive. With around 30 kilometres remaining, he increased the tempo sharply, reducing the group of favourites to a handful of riders including Lipowitz, Primoz Roglic and Ion Izagirre, while others were forced to let go.

That acceleration also brought the remnants of the break back into play. Healy briefly held a narrow advantage, but the gap rapidly collapsed as Seixas drove the chase, transforming the stage fully into a GC battle.

From there, the race distilled into a direct confrontation. Seixas and Lipowitz moved clear together, building an advantage of around 40 seconds over a fragmented chase that never fully reorganised behind them.

Even on the descent, Seixas continued to dictate the terms, repeatedly increasing the pressure and forcing Lipowitz to the limit just to stay in contention. Behind them, riders including Primoz Roglic and Javier Romo were unable to close the gap despite working together.

Into the final kilometres, the stage became a pure two-man contest. Lipowitz attempted a final acceleration inside the last kilometre, but Seixas responded immediately, holding the wheel before launching his own sprint to seal a third victory of the week.