PARIS — Teenage French starlet Paul Seixas completed his impressive Tour of the Basque Country victory, while Andrew August claimed the sixth and final stage.
At 19 years old, Seixas becomes the youngest ever winner of a World Tour stage race, a year younger than cycling’s dominant force, Tadej Pogacar, managed the achievement, AFP reported.
The teenager finished 2min 30sec ahead of Florian Lipowitz and a further three seconds before Tobias Halland Johannessen in third in the general classification.
American Ineos Grenadiers rider August soloed to victory on a rainy day, with Raul Garcia Pierna in second and Frank van den Broek coming in third to make up the day’s podium.
Seixas is enjoying a superb breakout season and claimed three stages at the race in a dominant week in northern Spain.
The Decathlon rider, who has six wins this year, has drawn comparisons to Slovenian superstar Pogacar, who racked up eight victories in his own breakout season in 2019 at the age of 20.
Seixas also became the first Frenchman to win a World Tour stage race since Christophe Moreau at the Criterium du Dauphine in 2007.
Marc Soler, Ben Healy and Mattias Skjelmose formed the day’s break early on and others joined them before dropping away, leaving the trio out in front.
With just under 30 kilometres remaining the chase group, featuring Johannessen, caught them to form a 20-strong breakaway, which Seixas and Lipowitz were three minutes behind.
Seixas started the day with a 5min 39sec advantage on Johannessen, who he had to keep an eye on with the Norwegian flying up the road.
August attacked from the breakaway to take the lead with little over 10 kilometres remaining and the 20-year-old was able to record the biggest result of his career to date.
This week will mainly be remembered though for Seixas’s impressive display and his significant winning margin.
