Isaac del Toro finished 13th in the opening stage of the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country, crossing the line 50.73 seconds behind stage winner Paul Seixas in the 13.8-kilometer individual time trial through Bilbao.

Seixas Claims Commanding Victory

Paul Seixas delivered a masterful performance to win the opening time trial in 17 minutes and 9 seconds, establishing himself as the early race leader. The victory came after an intense battle against the clock, with Seixas ultimately surpassing Primož Roglič’s earlier benchmark time to claim the stage honors.

Podium Positions Decided by Narrow Margins

Kévin Vauquelin secured second place, finishing 23 seconds behind Seixas, while Felix Großschartner completed the podium in third, 27 seconds off the winning pace. The tight margins at the top highlighted the competitive nature of the technical Bilbao circuit.

Del Toro’s Solid Opening Performance

The UAE Team Emirates rider Isaac del Toro put in a respectable performance on the challenging Basque terrain, finishing in the top 15 despite the demanding nature of the technical time trial course. The Mexican rider’s 13th-place finish positions him well for the mountainous stages ahead in the six-day WorldTour event.

With Seixas now wearing the leader’s jersey, the race moves into the Basque mountains where del Toro and his UAE Team Emirates squad will look to make their mark in the coming stages of this prestigious WorldTour event.