Tour of the Basque Country 2026: Seixas outsprints Lipowitz to cement GC lead

fotobureau Cor VosPaul Seixas and Florian Lipowitz distance the rest of the field on the penultimate climb of the day, the steep Izua. They continue together to the finish in Eibar, where the Frenchman wins the sprint to tighten his grip on the yellow jersey. Lipowitz moves up to second place in the GC. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 5 Results – 2026 Tour of the Basque Country

1. Paul Seixas (fra) 4:30:02
2. Florian Lipowitz (ger) s.t.
3. Javier Romo (spa) + 1:03
4. Kévin Vauquelin (fra) + 1:11
5. Ion Izagirre (spa) s.t.
6. Harold Tejada (col) s.t.
7. Tobias Halland Johannessen (nor) s.t.
8. Clément Champoussin (fra) s.t.
9. Pello Bilbao (spa) s.t.
10. Alex Baudin (fra) s.t.

GC after stage 5

1. Paul Seixas (fra)
2. Florian Lipowitz (ger) + 2:30
3. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 3:40
4. Ion Izagirre (spa)+ 3:50
5. Alex Baudin (fra) + 4:12
6. Harold Tejada (col) + 4:29
7. Cian Uijtdebroeks (bel) + 4:42
8. Clément Champoussin (fra) + 4:43
9. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 5:03
10. Javier Romo (spa) + 5:05

Race report
Baptiste Veistroffer is the first attacker of the day and he crests the opening climb solo. He is then joined by a group of 28 riders, including Kévin Vauquelin, Steven Kruijswijk, Juan Pedro López, Mauri Vansevenant, Christian Scaroni, Nicolas Prodhomme, Ibon Ruiz, Alex Aranburu, Adrià Pericas, Juan Pedro López and Andreas Kron.

In the final part of the Etumeta descent, Kruijswijk presses on alone and is joined by Veistroffer, the first attacker of the day. They open up a 2-minute gap over their former companions, but on the approach to the Krabelin that advantage is already halved. The peloton is also closing in fast. What was once a maximum deficit of 5 minutes is down to 2 minutes at the foot of the monster climb.

Veistroffer quickly goes clear on his own, while Florian Lipowitz attacks from the peloton with Paul Seixas on his wheel.

As Vauquelin takes over the lead from Veistroffer, Lipowitz and Seixas join the remnants of the breakaway: Soler, Prodhomme, Ruiz, Baudin and Healy. Once over the summit, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Clément Champoussin, Javier Romo, Markel Beloki, Harold Tejada, Christian Scaroni, Primož Roglič, Matthew Riccitello, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Pello Bilbao, Igor Arrieta and Ion Izagirre also make their way back.

Vauquelin is caught by the chasers, after which Soler and Healy attack on the approach to the Trabakua. The two open up a 40-second on the ascent, which has been halved at the foot of the Izua.

Soon Seixas takes over the initiative. Only Lipowitz, Roglic, Izagirre and Uijtdebroeks are initially able to follow, but the last three eventually crack. Only Roglic manages to keep the pair in sight and hangs about 30 metres behind. This way, the Slovenian becomes a good target for Javier Romo, who comes charging up from the chasing group. He hits the deck just before the summit.

Romo is quickly back on his bike, but is once again faced with a deficit. In the approach to the Urkaregi, Roglic reappears alongside him. Much later, on the false-flat run-in to the finish, another eight riders catch up.

Meanwhile, Seixas and Lipowitz keep pulling further and further away, and so it comes down to a two-man sprint in Eibar. The German tries to shake off Seixas by attacking with 750 metres to go — or is he already opening up the sprint? The yellow jersey happily tucks into his wheel and powers to a comfortable win on the cobbles of the finishing straight.

Romo jumps clear of the chasing group in the final kilometre and crosses the line in third place.

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2026 Tour of the Basque Country.