Circuito de Getxo-Memorial Hermanos Otxoa: Natnael Tesfatsion fastest in select-group uphill sprint to take the victory in Getxo

“I know this race well. I was dropped on the hard climb, but we managed to get back with some other riders. I’m surprised I won the race,” Tesfatsion said after the race.

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“I knew the finish suited me. We worked with Bahrain to get back, with Pello Bilbao, and we caught the front group…I had the legs. I went with 200 metres to go, gave everything and managed to win,” he added after taking his second win of 2026.

The 81st Circuito de Getxo-Memorial Hermanos Otxoa offered a 172.2km hilly circuit race starting from Bilbao and finishing with circuits around Getxo. The first four laps included a category 3 climb over Alto Akarlanda (4.5km at 2%), followed by two final circuits that included the category 2 climb over Alto Pike (2km at 9.4%), followed by a flat run-in to the finish line.

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The breakaway that emerged in the first 25km and included ten riders; Paul Ourselin (Cofidis), Jonathan Lastra and Iker Mintegi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Fabien Grellier (TotalEnergies), Nickolas Zukowsky (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling), Alex Díaz (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Mattia Bais (Team Polti VisitMalta), Rodrigo Álvarez (Burgos Burpellet BH), Nícolas Sessler (Victoria Sports Pro Cycling) and Ferran Miravalles (Meridian Racing p/b de la Uz).

The large group held nearly two minutes as the race approached the final two circuits, as Lidl-Trek and UAE Team Emirates-XRG led the pace at the front of the main peloton.

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On the first climb of the Alto Pike, the breakaway split apart, and with 44km to go, Bais attacked and was the only rider left out front from the original group as Bahrain-Victorious and Lidl-Trek set a blistering chase behind.

Bais was joined by his Team Polti VisitMalta teammate Javier Serrano, along with Edoardo Zamperini (Cofidis) and Adam Lewis (APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery).

The race came back together on the last trip up Alto Pike, which made way for a 25-rider selection to emerge over the top. Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was in that group in the final seven kilometres, but the race came down to an uphill sprint among that front group, with Tesfatsion taking the win after launching early and holding off his rivals.