Paul Seixas announced himself in emphatic style on stage 1 of Itzulia Basque Country 2026, winning the opening 13.8km individual time trial in Bilbao and taking the first leader’s jersey of the race.
The 19-year-old Decathlon CMA CGM rider was simply on another level across the rolling, technical course, finishing 23 seconds clear of Kévin Vauquelin, with Felix Großschartner 3rd and Primož Roglič just behind them. On a short time trial like this, that kind of margin is huge. Seixas did not just edge the win, he reshaped the race on day one.
How the stage was won
The Bilbao opener was never going to be a straightforward power test. At 13.8km, it was short enough to demand aggression from the start, but the profile made pacing just as important as raw strength. The early climb of Santo Domingo, the technical roads and the steep uphill run to the line meant riders had to judge their effort almost perfectly.
For a while, Roglič looked like the man to beat. The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider set a benchmark of 17:32, a time that seemed strong enough to put real pressure on the late starters.
Seixas blew straight through it.
He was already faster at the key intermediate point, then kept pressing on through the descent and into the final rise. By the closing metres, he was still accelerating, catching riders ahead of him on the road and driving all the way to the line. In the end, he took 28 seconds out of Roglič, a massive gap on such a short course.
Vauquelin came closest, but still finished 23 seconds down. Großschartner slotted into 3rd, while Roglič had to settle for 4th after what would normally have been considered a very strong opener.
A ride that changes the race
What stood out most was how complete Seixas’ performance looked. He was quickest on the early climb, smooth through the technical sections and still had enough left for the brutally steep finish. That suggested not just strong legs, but real composure.
For a rider of 19, that was the remarkable part. This was not the sort of ride where a young rider hangs on and surprises a few bigger names. This was a controlled, dominant stage win against a field packed with experienced general classification riders.
Seixas looked calm afterwards too, speaking about a ride that had been carefully planned and paced. That fitted what the road had already shown. He did not look like someone improvising his way to a breakthrough. He looked like a rider who knew exactly what he was doing.
Roglič solid, Ayuso on the back foot
Roglič’s ride was still good enough to keep him well in the race. Losing 28 seconds on the opening day is not ideal, but it is manageable in a week-long stage race with harder terrain still to come.
The bigger damage was elsewhere.
Juan Ayuso conceded over a minute and immediately put himself under pressure for the rest of the week. Isaac del Toro also gave away significant time. For both, stage 1 turned the race from something to manage into something to chase.
That is why the opening time trial mattered beyond the stage result itself. Seixas did not just take the leader’s jersey. He forced several of the race’s biggest names into a more aggressive position much earlier than they would have wanted.
Photo Credit: GettyWhat it means for Itzulia Basque Country
Seixas leaves stage 1 with the stage win, the overall lead and the momentum that comes with such a statement performance.
That does not mean the race is already his. Itzulia Basque Country rarely gives anyone an easy week, and one outstanding time trial is only the start of the challenge. The climbing stages will ask different questions, and defending a lead can be harder than taking one.
But he now has options.
A rider in front can follow moves rather than make them. He can force rivals to race with more urgency. He can let the pressure shift elsewhere. That tactical advantage can matter just as much as the seconds already banked.
For now, though, the bigger story is simpler. Seixas came to Bilbao as one of the most exciting young riders in the sport. He left it as the leader of Itzulia Basque Country 2026 and with the biggest win of his career so far.
What stage 1 told us
Stage 1 showed that Seixas is not just a rider for the future. He is already capable of dictating a WorldTour stage race against elite opposition.
It also left the rest of the field with a problem. Roglič remains close enough to stay patient, but others already have ground to recover and may have to take risks earlier in the week. That should make the racing more open and more aggressive from here.
If the rest of Itzulia Basque Country 2026 lives up to the standard of its opening day, this race could open up very quickly.
Itzulia Basque Country 2026 stage 1 results
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
