The riders set off in warm conditions for a 167-kilometer stage starting and finishing in Galdakao. Along the way, they had to tackle seven categorized climbs. After more than an hour of racing, Brandon McNulty made the first move. The American launched a solo effort with around ninety kilometers remaining. McNulty was chased by a group of 35 riders, including Tim Rex.  

McNulty’s solo attempt ended with just over thirty kilometers to go. On the climb of Elorritxueta, the lead group split apart, and Rex was also dropped there. Meanwhile, the peloton thinned out significantly. Ben Tulett, who started the stage fifth in the general classification, responded attentively to the accelerations in the favorites’ group.  

In the finale, Aranburu and Tobias Johannessen proved to be the strongest breakaway riders. The two reached the final kilometer together, where their cooperation broke down. They were caught by a few chasers, but Aranburu ultimately managed to finish it off. Classification leader Paul Seixas gained a few seconds on his rivals in the technical descent near the finish. Tulett finished twelfth, 34 seconds behind the stage winner. With two stages remaining, he sits sixth in the general classification.  

“It was another tough stage, like every day so far,” Tulett said afterward. The 24-year-old Brit crashed in the third stage but held up well today. “It was fast from start to finish. I wasn’t sure how my body would respond after yesterday’s crash, but fortunately I didn’t feel too bad. I’m happy that I could compete with my classification rivals on the climbs. I was also very well supported by my teammates. There are still two challenging stages to come, and a lot can still happen. I’m looking forward to it.”