MADRID, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Paul Seixas made history on Saturday when he became the youngest rider to win the Tour of the Basque Country.
The 19-year-old Frenchman, who rides for Decathlon CMA CGM, finished in the group of favorites at the end of the sixth and final stage and maintained his lead of two and a half minutes over Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe in the overall standings.
Seixas had shown his dominance earlier in the race by winning three of the first five stages going into the last day's 136-kilometer stage to Bergara.
Unlike previous days which were marked by sunshine and warm temperatures, Saturday's stage was held in pouring rain and on this occasion the breakaway held on the finish, despite Seixas' 40-kilometer solo effort off the front of the peloton to reel it back in.
His confidence didn't cost him dear on the last of the six categorized climbs on the day and he was later absorbed into the main bunch, with Andrew August of INEOS Grenadiers claiming the stage after he attacked off the front of the break in the closing kilometers. ■
