A new chapter of the 2026 Tour of the Basque Country is about to begin: The generational duel between Primož Roglič and cycling's greatest young talents is about to begin. Can the Slovenian take his third victory in the Tour, or has he already been overtaken by the younger generation?
The 2026 Tour of the Basque Country is coming up and while the most famous names on the cycling stage are battling it out on the cobbles, the Basque Country is seeing a battle of the young guns. Some of the best young riders will be competing in the Tour of the Basque Country, a region with many steep climbs. But the old champion and two-time winner of the Itzulia, Primož Roglič, is also keen to put everything on the line once again for overall victory.
The big favourite
Isaac del Toro is clearly the man to beat in the trio of young guns. He has the best mix of punch, climbing power and racing instinct and currently looks as if he can actively dictate the race. When things get choppy, when attacks fly and the finale gets tough, Del Toro is the guy who capitalises on this and is therefore the biggest favourite of the young guard. However, the Spaniard Juan Ayuso should not be underestimated. He can ride at a high pace over long periods of time, is tactically more mature than many his age and has the class to put Del Toro under pressure - especially when it comes to consistency over several stages. Ayuso is the first chaser: not quite as explosive in chaos, but extremely strong when the race is ridden evenly. After his crash at Paris-Nice, it was initially unclear what the rest of Ayuso's racing calendar would look like. However, the all-clear was given shortly afterwards: no serious injuries. Whether the crash will still affect him remains to be seen.
The first round trip victory?
Paul Seixas is by far the youngest name in the group of young favourites. With him, it's less about the burden of having to be favourite and more about the element of surprise: bold moves, carefree riding, an ambush move when the big boys are lurking around. Seixas stands for talent and future and can turn the narrative around with a single day, even if he doesn't (yet) have to carry the same expectations as Del Toro or Ayuso. This could be a clear advantage for Seixas and help him to a surprising first WorldTour victory.
The old master on the other side
And then there is Primož Roglič: the old master who reads such weekly races like a chess game. While Del Toro, Ayuso and Seixas come through dynamism, aggression and courage, Roglič relies on experience, timing and efficiency. He lets others take the risks and strikes when it really counts. However, it is questionable whether he can keep up with the three talents; overall, he is a little weaker than Del Toro, Ayuso and Seixas.
These drivers could cause a big surprise
Mattias Skjelmose from Lidl-Trek regularly shows good climbing skills on steep ramps, but has to ride for his captain Ayuso. The same fate will probably befall Matthew Riccitello, who will be in the service of Seixa. Antonio Tiberi, on the other hand, only has Pello Bilbao on his Bahrain Victorious team, who could have ambitions for the overall classification. However, at 36, the Spaniard is no longer the youngest and could give Tiberi the go-ahead for the captain's role. Tobias Halland Johannessen and Christian Scaroni complete the extended group of favourites. Johannessen in particular has proven his form this season with his fourth place at Tirreno-Adriatico and his second place at Milano-Turin.
Leon Weidner
Working student
