With seven categorized climbs and nearly 3,000 meters of elevation gain, the peloton once again faced a tough day in the Basque hills. Kuss made it into a strong leading group, but the bunch didn’t give them much space. The teams of the GC contenders took control of the pace, bringing back the breakaway before the final climb of the day.

That final climb proved decisive. The Izua—an iconic ascent in this race—delivered the expected fireworks. The nearly four-kilometer climb, averaging ten percent, was used by eventual stage winner Joao Almeida to launch a decisive move. Behind him, Kelderman settled into a group of favorites. The Dutchman crossed the line alongside his main rivals, preserving his sixth place overall.

“I felt pretty good today”, Kelderman said after the finish. “The racing was hard again, and the approach to the final climb was already intense. On the steep sections it was really tough, but I think that was the case for everyone. I had good legs again today, and I’m looking forward to the rest of this race.”

Sports director Jesper Mørkøv reflected on the day for Team Visma | Lease a Bike: “We planned to have a rider in the break, and after a long fight, Sepp made it. The peloton kept things under control, so the group was caught before the final climb. We gave everything to get Wilco into a good position, and that worked out well. Almeida was the strongest today, but Wilco held his own in the group behind. The coming stages will offer more opportunities for our team”, Mørkøv said.