Itzulia Basque Country: Paul Seixas pours on the power to win individual time trial opener and claim leader's jersey

Paul Seixas of Decathlon CMA CGM delivered a commanding performance to win the opening individual time trial of the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country, securing the leader’s jersey in the process. The young French rider completed the 13.8-kilometre hilly course through Bilbao with a remarkable 23-second advantage over Kévin Vauquelin (Ineos Grenadiers) and a 27-second gap to Felix Großschartner (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). This victory marked Seixas’s first WorldTour win and his maiden time trial triumph, signalling his rapid ascent in professional cycling. The course featured a challenging early ascent of Santo Domingo and a steep final climb with gradients reaching 19%, conditions that tested the riders’ pacing and power output. Seixas impressed by setting the fastest times on key segments, including the summit of Santo Domingo and the final uphill stretch. Despite starting early and facing changing wind conditions later in the day, he maintained a significant lead over established contenders such as former double Itzulia winner Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who finished fourth, 28 seconds behind. Seixas credited meticulous preparation and team support for his success, emphasising the importance of pacing and strategy on such a demanding course. He acknowledged the unpredictability of the race ahead despite his strong start, noting that while he now wears the leader’s jersey and is the rider to beat, the overall victory remains far from guaranteed. His confident yet cautious outlook highlights the competitive nature of the Itzulia Basque Country and the challenges that lie in the remaining stages. The time trial also exposed weaknesses among some pre-race favourites, notably Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek), the 2024 overall winner, who lost over a minute and a half and struggled with a navigational error on the course. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), despite recent successes, also fell short of expectations. Meanwhile, local hero Mikel Landa (Soudal QuickStep) received strong fan support but was unable to challenge Seixas’s dominant time, underscoring the shifting dynamics in this year’s race. Seixas’s victory signals the emergence of a new generation of talent in the Basque Country, challenging established veterans and reshaping the general classification battle. His performance sets a high benchmark for the stages to come, promising an exciting contest as riders respond to his early advantage. The coming days will reveal whether Seixas can maintain his lead or if rivals will mount a comeback in this prestigious WorldTour event.