Tour of the Basque Country 2026: August wins from breakaway, Seixas seals GC

fotobureau Cor VosIn the final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, Andrew August breaks away from the leading group on the day’s final climb. The 20-year-old American solos to victory, while Paul Seixas’s seals the overall triumph. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 6 Results – 2026 Tour of the Basque Country

1. Andrew August (usa) 3:29:35
2. Raúl García Pierna (spa) + 0:16
3. Frank van den Broek (nld) + 0:34
4. Gal Glivar (slo) s.t.
5. Filippo Fiorelli (ita) + 1:07
6. Emiel Verstrynge (bel) s.t.
7. Simone Velasco (ita) s.t.
8. Tobias Halland Johannessen (nor) + 1:09
9. Ramses Debruyne (bel) + 1:26
10. Guillaume Martin (fra) + 1:33

17. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 4:15
21. Paul Seixas (fra) s.t.
22. Florian Lipowitz (ger) s.t.

55. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 23:29

Final GC 2026 Tour of the Basque Country

1. Paul Seixas (fra)
2. Florian Lipowitz (ger) + 2:30
3. Tobias Halland Johannessen (nor) + 2:33
4. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 3:50
5. Clement Champoussin (fra) + 4:43
6. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 5:03
7. Javier Romo (spa) + 5:05
8. Igor Arrieta (spa) + 5:25
9. Alex Baudin (fra) + 5:41
10. Kévin Vauquelin (fra) + 7:33

Race report
After 15 kilometres there is still no breakaway when a three-man supergroup makes its move. Marc Soler, Mattias Skjelmose and Ben Healy tackle the Elosua 20 seconds ahead of the peloton.

On the climb, Juan Pedro López and Peter Øxenberg set off in pursuit and they regain contact on the wet descent. Simulaneously a group of 32 riders, including Tobias Halland Johannessen, launches the chase from the peloton.

By the time they crest the Eolusa for the second time, the original three attackers are once again alone at the front. The chasers are at 1 minute, while Paul Seixas, Clément Champoussin, Florian Lipowitz, Javier Romo, Ion Izagirre and Kévin Vauquelin attack from the peloton on the lower slopes. The GC leader then heads out alone.

On the false flat towards the final climb of the day, with 31 kilometres to go, Soler is dropped from the breakaway. He wins up in the chasing group, who guide him back towards the front of the race. The new lead group features 21 riders.

Just before the Asentzio, Seixas falls back into the Lipowitz group. They start the climb 3 minutes behind the leaders.

On the climb, Andrew August attacks and Raúl García Pierna joins him. Frank van den Broek goes after them with Gal Glivar before August heads out alone.

The 20-year-old American wins the stage, securing his first UCI WorldTour victory, while Halland Johannessen crosses the line in eighth place, 1 minute and 9 seconds later. As the GC contenders take it easy in the closing kilometres, that proves enough for a podium place — third overall, 3 seconds behind Lipowitz — while Seixas claims an unchallenged overall victory in the 65th edition of the Tour of the Basque Country.

Another interesting read: route 6th stage 2026 Tour of the Basque Country.