Eibar, the arms manufacturing city, hosted the queen stage of the Itzulia, where Paul Seixas reaffirmed his dominance. The race leader defeated Florian Lipowitz in a close sprint after a tough battle following the Izua climb. Seixas, with his audacity and confidence, secured another victory, his third in this edition of the Itzulia.
Seixas, the time judge in the Bilbao time trial and following his display in San Miguel de Aralar, also prevailed in Eibar. With his ambition intact and a champion's discourse, the Frenchman solidified his position. With only the final stage in Bergara remaining, Seixas, the star who devours everything, put the champagne on ice.
“"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
The challenging stage, featuring climbs like Elkorrieta, Azurki, Etumeta, Kalbario, Krabelin, Trabakua, Izua, and Urkaregi, pushed the cyclists to their limits. On the Izua climb, 3.6 kilometers long with an average gradient of 9.9%, Seixas took control. There, Ion Izagirre, Lipowitz, and Roglic, the four aces of the Itzulia, were put under pressure.
Lipowitz launched another attack, but Seixas responded with a reflex action. Both challenged each other through the streets of Eibar in a head-to-head duel for victory in the final kilometer. Lipowitz reached the final straight with an advantage, but Seixas, seated, overtook him to eclipse him and secure his third victory in the Itzulia.
