Home hope Alex Aranburu secured a third success on the Tour of the Basque Country after stage victories last year and in 2021

Galdakao (Spain) (AFP) - Local boy Alex Aranburu sprinted to victory in the fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country on Thursday as French youngster Paul Seixas stretched his overall lead.

Aranburu pipped Norwegian Tobias Halland Johannessen by four seconds with Italian Christian Scaroni eight seconds further behind after a 167.2km ride centred around Galdakao to the north-east of Bilbao.

Aranburu, 30, from nearby Ezkio-Itsaso, secured a third success on the race, after stage victories last year and in 2021.

“It’s always special to ride and win at home,” Aranburu said.

“In the final two kilometers there were full-on attacks and the legs were burning,” he added.

Seixas, considered a leading hope for French cycling, extended his lead in the yellow jersey by 20sec to 2min 19sec with Primoz Roglic in second plce and Florian Lipowitz in third 2min 28sec behind.

The 19-year-old finished eighth on the stage thanks to fine descent into Galdakao having dominated to the two opening days in northern Spain.

“I didn’t take all the risks I know of,” Seixas said.

“I trust myself right now, it’s quite psychological the descents.

“There are moments of the year where I feel better than others, at this race I feel really at ease,” he added.

American Brandon McNulty made an early break after the race left Galdakao but was caught with 36km to go.

With 10km left, Cofidis’ Aramburu splintered from the pack and was joined by Uno-X Mobility’s Johannessen as they returned into Galdakao.

But inside the final 500m they were almost caught by a small chasing pack before Aranuburu, wearing a Basque flag sticker on his helmet, having been born an hour away from the finish line, secured the victory with a powerful sprint.

Friday’s penultimate stage is a 176.2km ride starting and ending in Eibar in the most challenging stage of the race.