{"id":521447,"date":"2026-04-09T13:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T13:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/521447\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T13:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T13:06:11","slug":"itzulia-basque-country-stage-4-live-still-no-breakaway-formed-as-juan-ayuso-abandons-the-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/521447\/","title":{"rendered":"Itzulia Basque Country stage 4 LIVE – Still no breakaway formed as Juan Ayuso abandons the race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Refresh <\/p>\n

2026-04-09T13:01:34.116Z<\/p>\n

There appears to be a split in the peloton – and Paul Seixas is caught the wrong side of it!<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T13:00:58.493Z
\n100KM TO GO<\/p>\n

McNulty has a lead of 35 seconds on the peloton. He’s looking good, but will surely need some support.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:59:59.903Z<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:55:28.895Z<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:54:15.767Z<\/p>\n

The riders are over the Jata climb, and Brandon McNulty has gone on the attack, opening up a small lead.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:49:04.256Z<\/p>\n

Juan Ayuso, before pulling out of the race.<\/p>\n

\n

\"GALDAKAO,\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:44:52.404Z
\n110KM TO GO<\/p>\n

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

2026-04-09T12:43:35.593Z<\/p>\n

\n

\"GALDAKAO,\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:41:15.664Z<\/p>\n

There was a split in the peloton on that descent, but the groups have come back together now.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:39:58.314Z<\/p>\n

It seems Juan Ayuso was involved in a crash.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:39:25.022Z<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:37:52.486Z
\nDNF – JUAN AYUSO<\/p>\n

There’s another abandon to report, and it’s a big name – Juan Ayuso.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:34:12.436Z
\nKOM – SAN PELAYO<\/p>\n

Kron managed to stay at the front to take the KOM points at the top of the climb, ahead of Simmons and Vauquelin.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:28:45.154Z
\n120KM TO GO<\/p>\n

So as they approach the top of the climb, the peloton is once again all together.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:27:48.129Z<\/p>\n

Despite looking like a strong group, those riders have all been caught on the climb.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:24:00.412Z<\/p>\n

Iker Mintegi has also attacked out of the peloton and is trying to join the leading sextet.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:21:27.592Z<\/p>\n

That trio have caught the leading trio, so we have 6 riders leading the race about 10 seconds ahead of the peloton.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:20:09.083Z<\/p>\n

Scaroni, Soler and Garcia Pierna have attacked and are chasing the leaders.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:19:16.119Z<\/p>\n

This climb is San Pelayo, the first of five that come in quick succession, and averages 4.4% for 5.7km.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:18:10.805Z<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:15:05.168Z
\n130KM TO GO<\/p>\n

Tha large chase group has been shut down by the peloton, but Alaphilippe, Kron and Pericas still lead by about 25 seconds.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:11:18.992Z<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:08:19.718Z<\/p>\n

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 Qu\u00e9bec last year. Could he make it a fourth French win in four days?<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:04:14.588Z<\/p>\n

This is looking more promising. The trio are 20 seconds up on the peloton.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:03:27.628Z<\/p>\n

Kron is out on the attack again, going clear this time with Alaphilippe and Pericas.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T12:00:05.341Z
\n140KM TO GO<\/p>\n

Still no break has formed, as the riders continue along this flat section.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:54:39.145Z<\/p>\n

That group has been caught – it was too big and unruly to be allowed up the road.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:54:04.970Z<\/p>\n

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

2026-04-09T11:52:18.644Z<\/p>\n

A very large group of over 20 riders is trying to go clear. This is developing into a very hectic start!<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:46:28.182Z
\n150KM TO GO<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:45:16.692Z<\/p>\n

Here is the updated KOM classification:<\/p>\n

1 Bou 21 points<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

2 Seixas 13<\/p>\n

3 Arrieta 13<\/p>\n

4 Skjelmose 8<\/p>\n

5 Baudin 6<\/p>\n

6 Mintegi 6<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:44:03.238Z<\/p>\n

The peloton remains together as they descend the climb.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:43:42.473Z
\nKOM – ARETXABALGANE<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:42:18.059Z<\/p>\n

It’s been announced that Roger Adri\u00e0 has abanoned the race having started today. It’s unclear yet why.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:39:58.239Z<\/p>\n

He’s been brought, as has every other attempted attacker so far, and the race remains all together.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:38:57.647Z<\/p>\n

Andreas Kron has used these gradients to attack out the bunch and gain a small lead.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:33:28.104Z<\/p>\n

They’re on the Aretxabalgane now.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:30:52.135Z<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:29:58.275Z<\/p>\n

There have been attacks, but nothing has stuck so far.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:22:01.737Z
\nOFFICIAL START<\/p>\n

And they’re off!<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:19:45.465Z<\/p>\n

The peloton is one rider short of those who finished yesterday – Emanuel Buchmann, whose tough start to the season continues.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:18:24.872Z<\/p>\n

The riders have gathered at Galdakao, and have just set off from the unofficial start.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:14:02.366Z<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s is the kind of parcours that can make for very unpredictable racing – there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:06:33.630Z<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Itzulia Basque Country: Axel Laurance surges ahead of Igor Arrieta in two-rider sprint for stage 3 victory<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:03:55.522Z<\/p>\n

Alternatively, setting Seixas up for another stage win would involve lots of effort to control the race by his Decathlon CMA CGM team, as there are surely multiple teams and riders who will want to try attacking, and few who believe they could beat the Frenchman in a mano y mano battle. This does therefore seem like a promising day for a breakaway to succeed.<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T11:00:40.785Z<\/p>\n

Paul Seixas remains in the yellow jersey, and, if he has the appetite, today could be an opportunity for a third stage win in four days. There’s more climbing than yesterday, when he went into defensive mode, including a late climb averaging 8% for 3.2km that looks like an ideal springboard.<\/p>\n

\n

\"BASAURI,\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

2026-04-09T10:55:47.677Z<\/p>\n

Hello and welcome to stage four of Itzulia Basque Country!<\/p>\n

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