Teenage French starlet Paul Seixas completed his impressive Tour of the Basque Country victory on Saturday, while Andrew August claimed the sixth and final stage.
At 19 years old Seixas becomes the youngest ever winner of a World Tour stage race, a year younger than cycling's dominant force Tadej Pogacar managed the achievement.
The teenager finished 2min 30sec ahead of Florian Lipowitz and a further three seconds before Tobias Halland Johannessen in third in the general classification.
👑 𝐈𝐋 𝐋'𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓 ! Paul Seixas remporte le Tour du Pays Basque et met fin à 19 ans de disette pour le cyclisme français ! pic.twitter.com/Ul2E6rHX0H
— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) April 11, 2026
American Ineos Grenadiers rider August soloed to victory on a rainy day, with Raul Garcia Pierna in second and Frank van den Broek coming in third to make up the day's podium.
Seixas is enjoying a superb breakout season and claimed three stages at the race in a dominant week in northern Spain.
"I'm so happy to take the win, it was not easy today, but I stayed strong in the head," he said.
"I never gave up and I feel super good... it's an insane week, three victories, then the GC, what more can we ask for?
"I'm so happy to see I was always there and always strong."
The Decathlon rider, who has six wins this year, has drawn comparisons to Slovenian superstar Pogacar, who racked up eight victories in his own breakout season in 2019 at the age of 20.
Seixas also became the first Frenchman to win a World Tour stage race since Christophe Moreau at the Criterium du Dauphine in 2007.
Marc Soler, Ben Healy and Mattias Skjelmose formed the day's break early on and others joined them before dropping away, leaving the trio out in front.
With just under 30 kilometres remaining the chase group, featuring Johannessen, caught them to form a 20-strong breakaway, which Seixas and Lipowitz were three minutes behind.
Seixas started the day with a 5min 39sec advantage on Johannessen, who he had to keep an eye on with the Norwegian flying up the road.
August attacked from the breakaway to take the lead with little over 10 kilometres remaining and the 20-year-old was able to record the biggest result of his career to date.
Veteran Primoz Roglic started the day in third but struggled badly and dropped out of the top 10.
"Every day was hot and sunny, but then we got the typical Basque weather, 10 degrees and rain today, everybody was freezing," said August.
"The team is racing amazing this year, super incredible to be a part of it."
This week will mainly be remembered, though, for Seixas's impressive display and his significant winning margin.
He also finished as the points and mountains classifications winner and the best young rider.
It has not yet been decided whether he will race in the Tour de France for the first time this summer.
"I guess we'll see after Fleche and Liege (his next races). I feel like this week was really awesome and I guess we'll see next week," added Seixas.
STAGE SIX WINNERS
1. AJ August (USA) INEOS Grenadiers 3:29:35
2. Raúl García (ESP) Movistar Team +16
3. Frank van den Broek (NED) Team Picnic PostNL +34
4. Gal Glivar (SLO) Alpecin - Premier Tech "
5. Filippo Fiorelli (ITA) Team Visma - Lease a Bike +1:07
6. Emiel Verstrynge (BEL) Alpecin - Premier Tech "
7. Simone Velasco (ITA) XDS Astana Team "
8. Tobias Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Mobility +1:09
9. Ramses Debruyne (BEL) Alpecin - Premier Tech +1:26
10. Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet (FRA) Groupama - FDJ United +1:33
11. Ben Healy (IRL) EF Education - EasyPost +1:38
12. Fernando Barceló (ESP) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA +1:45
13. Domen Novak (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - XRG +2:37
14. Marc Soler (ESP) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
15. Igor Arrieta (ESP) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
16. Mattias Skjelmose (DEN) Lidl - Trek +2:42
17. Ion Izagirre (ESP) Cofidis +4:15
18. Clément Champoussin (FRA) XDS Astana Team "
19. Javier Romo (ESP) Movistar Team "
20. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain Victorious "
OVERALL LEADERS
1. Paul Seixas (FRA) Decathlon CMA CGM Team 20:07:35
2. Florian Lipowitz (GER) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe +2:30
3. Tobias Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Mobility +2:33
4. Ion Izagirre (ESP) Cofidis +3:50
5. Clément Champoussin (FRA) XDS Astana Team +4:43
6. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain Victorious +5:03
7. Javier Romo (ESP) Movistar Team +5:05
8. Igor Arrieta (ESP) UAE Team Emirates - XRG +5:25
9. Alex Baudin (FRA) EF Education - EasyPost +5:41
10. Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) INEOS Grenadiers +7:33
11. Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet (FRA) Groupama - FDJ United +11:34
12. Cian Uijtdebroeks (BEL) Movistar Team +13:15
13. Markel Beloki (ESP) EF Education - EasyPost +18:39
14. Mattias Skjelmose (DEN) Lidl - Trek +19:24
15. Harold Tejada (COL) XDS Astana Team +20:59
16. Primož Roglic (SLO) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe +22:54
17. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Decathlon CMA CGM Team +23:59
18. Ibon Ruiz (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma +24:18
19. Fernando Barceló (ESP) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA +26:46
20. Emiel Verstrynge (BEL) Alpecin - Premier Tech +30:07