Alex Aranburu secured a sprint victory in the fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country on Sunday, while French rider Paul Seixas extended his overall lead in the race. The 167.2-kilometer stage, taking place around Galdakao northeast of Bilbao, saw Aranburu outsprint Tobias Halland Johannessen of Norway and Italy's Christian Scaroni to claim the win.

Aranburu, 30, who hails from nearby Ezkio-Itsaso, crossed the line four seconds ahead of Johannessen, with Scaroni finishing eight seconds further back. This marks Aranburu’s third success in the Tour of the Basque Country, having previously won stages in 2021 and last year. Wearing a Basque flag sticker on his helmet, Aranburu described the victory as particularly meaningful given his local roots. He noted the intensity in the final kilometers, where aggressive attacks and fatigue tested the riders.

Meanwhile, Seixas, a 19-year-old regarded as a rising talent in French cycling, maintained his hold on the yellow jersey with a stronger overall lead. After finishing eighth on the stage, Seixas now leads by 2 minutes and 19 seconds ahead of Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic, with Florian Lipowitz in third place at 2 minutes 28 seconds behind. Seixas credited a cautious approach during the final descent into Galdakao, emphasizing the psychological demands of risk management in technical sections. He acknowledged feeling particularly confident during this phase of the season.

Early in the stage, American rider Brandon McNulty launched a breakaway soon after the race departed Galdakao but was reeled back with 36 kilometers remaining. Aranburu broke away from the main pack with about 10 kilometers to go and was joined by Johannessen as they approached the finish. The pair narrowly avoided being caught by a chasing group inside the final 500 meters, allowing Aranburu to unleash a decisive sprint for the win.

The race continues today with the penultimate stage, a 176.2-kilometer route starting and finishing in Eibar, considered the most demanding leg of the Tour of the Basque Country.