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Paul Seixas of Decathlon CMA CGM makes history as he captures the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country, becoming France's first overall winner of a WorldTour stage race in 19 years. This victory comes after an intense final stage, where Seixas faced fierce competition and treacherous weather conditions.
Despite dominating the race for five days, the 19-year-old's grip on the yellow jersey slipped during the challenging 135.2-kilometer stage. A coordinated attack from Uno-X Mobility, led by Tobias Johannessen, saw Seixas lose nearly three minutes of his lead. However, AJ August of Ineos Grenadiers stole the spotlight with a stunning solo win, marking the biggest success of his career.
As the peloton fragmented in the rain, Seixas found himself isolated but managed to fend off the competition. Ultimately, he finished 2:30 ahead of Florian Lipowitz and 2:33 clear of Johannessen in the General Classification. Seixas expressed his joy, stating, "It was an insane day, I'm so happy to take the win," highlighting the support from his team that kept him in a strong position throughout the grueling stage. The numbers behind this dramatic finish tell the story of resilience and strategy in professional cycling.
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