Itzulia Basque Country stage 4 LIVE – Two riders from day’s break approaching the finish together

Aranburu holds on for the win. What a chaotic finale!

2026-04-09T15:16:43.801Z

Aranburu launches his sprint…

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And now the others from that grup are catching them.

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Scaroni has caught them and is sitting on their wheel.

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Scaroni has gone clear of the other three in that group, and is catching the leading duo.

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The second group is approaching the two leaders.

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Behind, Seixas is motoring on with four riders dropped from the earlier break clinging to his wheel.

And Aranburu and Johannessen are starting to look at each other as they approach the final uphill. They’ll have to be careful not to get caught!

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Paul Seixas is on a mission! He’s catching others from the day’s break, and is bearing down on the leaders, just 35 seconds behind.

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Aranburu and Johannessenare working toegher and taking it in turns to pace. With a 25 second lead over the four chasers, they’re looking good.

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Behind, Seixas is with Arrieta, and the two have a gap on the peloton.

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They will now take on a short flat section, before the road kicks uphill for the final kilometre.

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Johannessen is back onto Aranbru’s wheel as the downhill gradient eases.

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As has Paul Seixas in the peloton! It seems we can count descending on the list of things he’s already elite at.

Aranburu has opened up a gap on Johannessen the descent.

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Fortunato, Scaroni, Martin and López are chasing the two leaders, but are 17 seconds behind.

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Johannessen bridges up to Aranburu on the descent.

Aranburu summits the climb first, but Tobias Halland Johannessen is bearing down on him.

They’re about one kilometre from the top.

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Aranburu leads, with Johannessen chasing him.

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The pace is off in the peloton, and Seixas’ teammates are rejoining it.

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There are about 15 riders left in the peloton.

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As for Seixas, his move put others under pressure, but he didn’t get a gap.

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And now Aranburu attacks them.

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Scaroni, Fortunato and Martin have joined the three leaders.

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Paul Seixas accelerates in the peloton!

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Aranburu also joins them at the front of the race.

2026-04-09T14:59:33.699Z

Johannessen has been caught, by López.

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Back in the peloton, Primož Roglič is riding at the front.

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Juan Pedro López attacks in the chase group.

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These ramps are horrible They’re currently dragging themselves up one that reaches 17%.

2026-04-09T14:57:27.654Z

Soler still has energy to burn, and leads the chase as they begin the climb.

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Anders Halland Johannessen has started the climb now. This one’s a nasty one, averaging 8% for 3.2km.

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Meanwhile the peloton is still in contention, at 1:23, but have some ground to make up on the final climb.

2026-04-09T14:55:44.205Z

Johannessen is increashing his lead over the chasers, to 20 seconds.

2026-04-09T14:53:17.762Z

Soler and Tuckwell have dropped back to the chase group, who are 15 seconds behind Johannessen, as they approach the final climb.

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Soler and Tuckwell are looking at each other, allowing Johannessen to go clear!

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Soler has been caught, and now Johannessen counters.

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Crash for Bagioli, who’s up on his feet, but not bac riding yet.

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Soler attacks the other two in the fornt group, and is trying to go clear.

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They lead the chasers by 13 seconds.

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Three riders have clipped off the front and now lead the race – Marc Soler, Luke Tuckwell and Anders Halland Johannessen.

2026-04-09T14:44:04.617Z

There are about 40 riders left in the peloton, with a few dropped on the climb rejoining on the descent.

2026-04-09T14:39:26.263Z

Seixas glues himself to his wheel as they go over the top of the climb, 1:17 after the leaders.

2026-04-09T14:38:58.715Z

In the peloton, Lipowitz attacks again as they near the summit.

Soler crests the climb first, but hasn’t managed to drop those behind him.

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Soler continues to try to go clear, just 500m from the top of the climb.

2026-04-09T14:36:58.504Z

Soler is one of those riders still in the front group, and tries an attack.

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There are now about 14 riders leading the race, the others from the orignial break having been dropped.

2026-04-09T14:34:53.723Z

Seixas’ teammate takes control of the peloton and calms things down again.

2026-04-09T14:34:16.257Z

And it’s all kicking off in the peloton! Lipowitz and Seixas have both traded an attack each.

2026-04-09T14:33:49.440Z

It’s all change at the front, and there are now abut eight riders leading the rest of the break.

2026-04-09T14:33:09.360Z

Ben Healy has been dropped out of the breakaway. That’s a surprise, as he looked like one of the favourites for the stage win.

2026-04-09T14:32:25.677Z

Back in the peloton, Decathlon have taken over control again, after being put under threat from Lipowitz earlier.

2026-04-09T14:31:43.997Z

Scaroni, Johannessen and López have gone with Simmons.

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Attack from Quinn Simmons in the breakaway.

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Attack in the peloton from Florian Lipowitz! Decathlon were alert to the move though and have brought him back.

2026-04-09T14:29:10.667Z

Visma-Lease a Bike lead the peloton. Are they trying to tee something up for Tulett?

2026-04-09T14:28:08.877Z

Already riders are being dropped out the back of the break, on the lower slopes of the Vivero, including inevitably, McNulty.

2026-04-09T14:27:12.725Z

Uno-X Moblity lead the break onto the Vivero again. They’re going a different way up this time, with much steeper gradients.

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Visma and Decathlon are two of the teams up there in the peloton.

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Changes in the peloton now as other teams fight for position ahead of the upcoming climb.

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This is a fierce battle between the breakaway and the peloton, the former still being led by Uno-X Moblity, who appear to be riding for Tobias Halland Johannessen.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-09T14:22:16.429Z

McNulty has been caught by the chasers, 36km from the finish. He’ll drop to the back of the group and have some well-deserved rest.

2026-04-09T14:20:02.393Z

This flat section has been tough for McNulty, leaving him exposed compared with the protection the larger groups have. Only 30 seconds ahead now, it looks like he’ll be reabsorbed soon.

McNulty’s lead continues to fall, down to 50 seconds over the chasers. Uno-X Mobility have upped the pace in that group, and have moving clear of the peloton again, by nearly two minutes.

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In theory the chase group should have the biggest advantage, with so many teams represented in it, but the Bahrain-led peloton is putting up a great fight.

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This really does look like it’s swinging back in the advantage of the breakaway. They’re now just 1:40 behind the chasers, and 2:45 behind McNulty.

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McNulty is labouring. His lead to the chasers is down to 1:30, and to the peloton just over three minutes.

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Bahrain are presumably working for Bilbao, who could launch an attack on either the final climb or subsequent descent. But they also have Antionio Tiberi as an alternative option, albeit he’s lacking his best legs.

2026-04-09T14:05:39.883Z

Bahrain Victorious are still pressing on at the front of the peloton, and that’s the group that’s currently fastest on the road. It’s a big ask for them to bring the race back together, but they’re making inroads, bringing the chase group back to 1:40 and McNulty to 3:20

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-09T14:02:45.647Z

McNulty is looking more tired now, churning a big gear as he rides the long flat section that will loop back round for a second ascent of Alto del Vivero.

2026-04-09T13:59:59.364Z

The time from McNulty to the chasers is now being reported at 1:45. So his lead has come down, perhaps as a result of that bike change.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-09T13:56:35.417Z

Bahrain Victorious were one of the few teams to miss the breakaway, and are trying to do something about that now as they take to the front of the peloton and up the pace.

As he begins the descent on his new bike, McNulty still has a lead of 2:08 on the chasers despite that delay, and 4:15 on the peloton.

McNulty crests the climb first, but as he was doing so had to change bikes. It was a quick transition, though, and he doesn’t seem to have lost much time.

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A small snapshot of some of the 33 riders in the chase group.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-09T13:49:29.311Z

This is some ride by Brandon McNulty. His lead is still growing, and is now up to 2:15. There’s still over 60km left to ride, but he’s committed to this move, and it’s starting to look like he has a chance.

2026-04-09T13:46:38.222Z

Decathlon are leading the peloton, setting a steady pace. This certainly seems like it’s going to be one for the breakaway, given that almost every team is represented in it.

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Here was McNulty earlier, when he first broke clear from the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-09T13:41:42.328Z

And now the peloton cross the finish, taking it easy at about 3:30 down.

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McNulty is climbing again, up Elorritxueta. At 7.9km it’s the longest of the day, but averages a relatively modest 4.4%.

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Uno-X Mobility are the best represented team in the chase group with four riders, and one of their contingent is pulling the group. They’re crossing the finish line, about 1:40 after McNulty.

2026-04-09T13:38:28.708Z

McNulty is riding across the finish line for the first time. The obvious thing to do when such a large, strong chase group formed behind him would have been to take it easy and wait to be caught by then, but instead the American has doubled down and is pushing on hard. Surely he can’t keep this up all the way to the finish?

That 33-man chase group is two minutes ahead of the peloton, but McNulty is actually growing his lead ahead of them, to 1:35.

2026-04-09T13:34:35.223Z

Here is the 33 chase group in full:

Ben Healy, Jardi Christiaan van der Lee (both EF Education-EasyPost), Tobias Halland Johannessen, Andreas Kron, Magnus Cort, Anders Halland Johannessen (all Uno-X Mobility), Guillame Martin, Clément Braz Afonso, Quentin Pacher (all Groupama-FDJ United), Alex Aranburu, Marc Soler, Felix Großschartner (both UAE Team Emirates – XRG), Quinn Simmons, Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek), Christian Scaroni, Lorenzo Fortunato (both XDS Astana), Steff Cras, Mauri Vansevenant (both Soudal-QuickStep), Juan Pedro López, Raúl García Pierna (both Movistar), Gal Glivar, Emiel Verstrynge, Ramses Debruyne (all Alpecin-Premier Tech), Luke Tuckwell, Haimar Etxeberria (both Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe), Gotzon Martín, Txomin Juaristi, Jonathan Lastra (all Euskaltel – Euskadi), Tim Rex (Visma-Lease a Bike), Victor Langellotti (Ineos Grenadiers), Bjorn Koerdt (Picnic-PostNL), Fabian Weiss (Tudor Pro Cycling), Carlos García Pierna (Burgos Burpellet BH),

Next up for the riders is an uncategorised climb, though it’s pretty much as hard as all those that have come before it already today.

2026-04-09T13:16:30.093Z

The chase group still have 50 seconds to make up on McNulty, but are over a minute ahead of the peloton.

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There are a lot of riders in this chase group, but none of the GC contenders appear to have sneaked into it.

McNulty crests the climb at the head of the race, while Juanpe Lopez and Gal Gilver were second and third to the top from the chase group behind.

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The peloton is also now a lot further behind McNulty – a whole two minutes, in fact. It seems the American might have succeeded in snapping the elastic.

2026-04-09T13:10:26.474Z

It seems that Seixas is safely in the peloton, while chase group has formed behind McNulty and ahead of the peloton.

2026-04-09T13:08:55.847Z

McNulty leads the race as they reach the latest obstacle, the 2.4km, 6.7% Alto de Umbe climb.

2026-04-09T13:01:34.116Z

There appears to be a split in the peloton – and Paul Seixas is caught the wrong side of it!

McNulty has a lead of 35 seconds on the peloton. He’s looking good, but will surely need some support.

2026-04-09T12:59:59.903Z

Incidentally, Bou took another mountain point at the top of the Jata climb, reaching the top behind Anders Halland Johannessen and Jardi Van Der Lee.

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In the absence of their abandoned GC man Del Toro, UAE have been racing very aggressively, nearly winning the stage yesterday with Arrieta and trying to do so again today, with McNulty now and Pericas earlier.

2026-04-09T12:54:15.767Z

The riders are over the Jata climb, and Brandon McNulty has gone on the attack, opening up a small lead.

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Juan Ayuso, before pulling out of the race.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The peloton is making it’s way up the third climb of the day, the Jata, which rises for 4.6km at 5.8%.

2026-04-09T12:43:35.593Z

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-04-09T12:41:15.664Z

There was a split in the peloton on that descent, but the groups have come back together now.

2026-04-09T12:39:58.314Z

It seems Juan Ayuso was involved in a crash.

2026-04-09T12:39:25.022Z

Having been among the top favourites for the overall title, Ayuso has struggled throughout this race, first being well off the pace in the time trial, then being dropped on the climbs both on stage two and yesterday.

There’s another abandon to report, and it’s a big name – Juan Ayuso.

Kron managed to stay at the front to take the KOM points at the top of the climb, ahead of Simmons and Vauquelin.

So as they approach the top of the climb, the peloton is once again all together.

2026-04-09T12:27:48.129Z

Despite looking like a strong group, those riders have all been caught on the climb.

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Iker Mintegi has also attacked out of the peloton and is trying to join the leading sextet.

2026-04-09T12:21:27.592Z

That trio have caught the leading trio, so we have 6 riders leading the race about 10 seconds ahead of the peloton.

2026-04-09T12:20:09.083Z

Scaroni, Soler and Garcia Pierna have attacked and are chasing the leaders.

2026-04-09T12:19:16.119Z

This climb is San Pelayo, the first of five that come in quick succession, and averages 4.4% for 5.7km.

2026-04-09T12:18:10.805Z

The peloton has not eased up, and are brining the trio back again. They only have ten seconds as they approach the foot of the day’s second climb.

Tha large chase group has been shut down by the peloton, but Alaphilippe, Kron and Pericas still lead by about 25 seconds.

2026-04-09T12:11:18.992Z

A big group of riders have gone clear of the peloton and are trying to chase the leading trio. There are about 20 riders in it.

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Alaphilippe is the eye-catching name in this move. He might have lost the legs of his peak years, but remains a canny rider capable of winning big, as he proved at the GP de Québec last year. Could he make it a fourth French win in four days?

2026-04-09T12:04:14.588Z

This is looking more promising. The trio are 20 seconds up on the peloton.

2026-04-09T12:03:27.628Z

Kron is out on the attack again, going clear this time with Alaphilippe and Pericas.

Still no break has formed, as the riders continue along this flat section.

2026-04-09T11:54:39.145Z

That group has been caught – it was too big and unruly to be allowed up the road.

2026-04-09T11:54:04.970Z

Pello Bilbao has managed to sneak into this group. He’s not too far down on GC, in 13th at 3:42.

2026-04-09T11:52:18.644Z

A very large group of over 20 riders is trying to go clear. This is developing into a very hectic start!

Still no breakaway at this point. After descent of this climb comes the longest flat section of the day, lasting about 20km, so the battle to get into the break could rage for some time yet.

2026-04-09T11:45:16.692Z

Here is the updated KOM classification:

1 Bou 21 points

Bou made sure he was at the front of the bunch going over the climb to increases his lead in the KOM classification, with Pacher and Soler following behind.

2026-04-09T11:42:18.059Z

It’s been announced that Roger Adrià has abanoned the race having started today. It’s unclear yet why.

2026-04-09T11:39:58.239Z

He’s been brought, as has every other attempted attacker so far, and the race remains all together.

2026-04-09T11:38:57.647Z

Andreas Kron has used these gradients to attack out the bunch and gain a small lead.

2026-04-09T11:33:28.104Z

They’re on the Aretxabalgane now.

2026-04-09T11:30:52.135Z

The riders are about to start climbing, up the 4.5km, 5.3% Aretxabalgane. That should provide a springboard for strong climbers and puncheurs to try and form a breakaway.

2026-04-09T11:29:58.275Z

There have been attacks, but nothing has stuck so far.

And they’re off!

2026-04-09T11:19:45.465Z

The peloton is one rider short of those who finished yesterday – Emanuel Buchmann, whose tough start to the season continues.

2026-04-09T11:18:24.872Z

The riders have gathered at Galdakao, and have just set off from the unofficial start.

2026-04-09T11:14:02.366Z

Today’s is the kind of parcours that can make for very unpredictable racing – there’s lots of climbing, but not one standout climb in terms of difficulty. Of the seven climbs in total, six of them are rated category three, with just the final one rated category two.

2026-04-09T11:06:33.630Z

That was the case yesterday, when the bunch gave up the chase to allow the breakaway riders to make it to the finish, with Ineos’ Axel Laurance coming out on top. Here’s a reminder of how the stage went down.