First it was an Axel and then it was an Alex. For the second stage in a row, the day’s Itzulia Basque Country flowers went to a breakaway rider. On Wednesday Axel Laurence prevailed and on Thursday’s fourth stage of the 65th edition, Basque Alex Aranburu took the victory. Paul Seixas extended his race lead.
The Course
Seven categorized climbs were spaced evenly along 167 km starting and finishing in Galdakao. The riders would enter a long finishing circuit that included the Elorritxueta (Vivero) ascended from two different directions. Cat. 2 Legina, 3.2 km of 8 percent, crested nine kilometres from the line.
It was difficult for a breakaway to stick on Thursday. Joan Bou, leader of the mountains classification, was in a move on the first climb Aretxabalgane, but the attackers kept getting caught after climbs San Pelayo and Jata. Juan Ayuso crashed out, his second consecutive WorldTour stage race that’s ended with the Spaniard abandoning for Lidl-Trek.
Brandon McNulty approached Cat. 3 Unbe solo. The climb elicited an enormous chase of 33 riders to flare off from Seixas and the other GC men, fugitive Clément Braz Afonso best placed in 17th.
McNulty entered the circuit with 1:30 over the big chase and 3:30 over the yellow jersey.
McNulty vs the chase vs the peloton beat on between climbs of Elorritxueta, all the principles growing closer. With 40 km to go, McNulty was scoooped up by the Clément Braz Afonso gang. The peloton was 1:45 behind with 35 km remaining.
Elorritxueta II thinned out the breakaway’s numbers, McNulty first to crest. In the yellow jersey group, Florian Lipowitz made a surge to stretch things out. Down in the valley, with only Legina remaining, Marc Soler whipped off the front with two others. When the peloton reached Legina, Primož Roglič led the charge.
Fugitive Aranburu tipped over first, soon in the company of Tobias Halland Johannessen. Seixas pushed on while descending. It would be tight for the Spaniard and the Norwegian. They were caught with 400 metres to climb. Aranburu came around Johannessen in the final reckoning. Seixas had the Red Bull duo in his rearview mirror.
Eight categorized climbs and an uphill finish in Eibar is on tap for Friday.
65th Itzulia Basque Country, Stage 4
1) Alex…
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