Seixas Stuns the Field in Bilbao Time Trial

The opening stage of the Itzulia Basque Country delivered an early shake-up in the general classification, as French prodigy Paul Seixas claimed a dominant victory in the individual time trial.
Held over a short but demanding 13.8-kilometer course in Bilbao, the stage featured relentless climbs and technical sections, placing a premium on pacing, power output, and bike handling. Starting early, Seixas set a benchmark time that remained unmatched throughout the day.
Riding for Decathlon CMA CGM, the young Frenchman secured his first WorldTour victory—and first professional time trial win—with an impressive margin of 23 seconds over Kévin Vauquelin of Ineos Grenadiers, and 27 seconds ahead of Felix Großschartner from UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
GC Contenders Face Early Gaps
The time trial immediately created significant time differences among the general classification contenders. Former two-time overall winner Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) delivered a solid ride to finish fourth, 28 seconds down, keeping himself well within contention.
However, other key favorites struggled. Defending 2024 champion Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) lost 1:16, dealing a major blow to his hopes of repeating his title. Meanwhile, rising star Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) also underperformed, finishing 51 seconds behind the winner.
A Breakthrough Performance
For Paul Seixas, this victory marks a defining moment in his young career. Delivering such a commanding performance against a world-class field highlights his exceptional potential in time trials and stage racing alike.
Summary
After Stage 1 of the Itzulia Basque Country, the race has already taken shape:
A young talent announcing himself on the biggest stage
Established contenders holding steady
Pre-race favorites already under pressure
With the mountainous stages still to come, the question now is whether Seixas can defend his lead—or if the GC battle will shift once again in the days ahead.