Itzulia Basque Country 2025, April 7th-12th

[Samu Cuenca]

The best race in the world returns for its 64th edition. Steep muritos, narrow, bumpy roads and very passionate fans are on the menu for this week, and this time there's even an appetizer in the form of this catchy. brand new, only 2.5 year old song accompanying the race (sadly not recorded by a selection of local cycling heroes).

None of the big guns are attending this year, so João Almeida won't get to beat Vingegaard in an uphill finish for the third time this season, but that also makes things more unpredictable and possibly more exciting as well.

Start list: https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=6&y=2025&k=8


Stage 1: Vitoria-Gasteiz, 16.5 km, ITT

The race kicks off with a time trial which will start and finish next to the Fernando Buesa Arena, where the basketball team CD Baskonia plays its home games, in the NE part of the city.

The route features a categorised climb and a couple of other small bumps, but it's overall not a very challenging affair with quite good road surface for the most part. Weather is expected to be at around 20 degrees without much wind.

Spoiler: Map

Baskonia's Pavel Sivakov, sorry, Pavel Savkov celebrating a victory over Tony Parker's ASVEL Basket just the other day.

Stage 2: Pamplona-Iruña - Lodosa, 199.8 km

We move to Navarra for day 2 where a 200 km stage awaits the riders. The last 75 km consist of two loops around Lodosa which features some 2-3 km-ish climbs, but nothing that should keep it from ending in some kind of group sprint.

Spoiler: Climb details and map

Stage 3: Zarautz - Beasain, 156.3 km

The Basque climbs, that we all know and love, will make their first real appearance on stage 3. A Meaga one of that to start day and then the rest will follow like a string of relentless Pogi attacks/disappointing Euskaltel results. Most of them are however placed far out and with 20 km in-between the last two, the stage probably won't be decided before the final 7 km.

Spoiler: Climb details and map

.

 

[Potomac]

That's some quick quality, Cuenca.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Stage 4: Beasain - Markina-Xemein, 169.6 km
It's another hilly day on stage 4, but things will once again be decided on a steep climb close to the finish. A downhill finish after Izua is of course very much to my liking, but instead of making a right turn towards Arrate, the race will finish in Markina-Xemein for the first time since 2016.

Spoiler: Climb details and map

I haven't been able to find a full profile for the first part of the climb from Urretxu over Zumarraga to Legazpi, but I doubt the winning move will be made there.

Stage 5: Urduña - Gernika-Lumo, 172.4 km

This stage will pay tribute to Gernika's favourite son, Pello Bilbao. A victory for him will however not be an easy task to complete, especially not with Santi Buitrago also attending.

Spoiler: Climb details and map

This is followed by the first approx. 2.5 km of this profile

Then comes another 5.5 km of similar difficulty before the climb finishes off with this stretch

Then the first 5.9 km of this profile of Zallobante (thanks to Netserk for that one)

And the final 5 km to the finish

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Stage 6: Eibar - Eibar, 153.6 km

168 riders are scheduled to start the race, but there can only be one winner. That man will be crowned in the streets of Eibar and forever be cycling royalty.

Spoiler: Climb details and map

The next section will be ridden twice during the stage. First they'll climb Trabakua

A 3 km descent is followed by a 10% 700m climb to Mallabia. Then comes a short descent followed by the last 1 km to the top of Alto de Areitio (the middle section on the profile below. The climb to Mallabia is not the one being displayed)

Now it's time for a copy of the final of stage 4, but with a different ascent of Izua

Then they'll climb Trabakua once more

And do the 3 km descent which is followed by a 10% 700m climb to Mallabia. Then comes a short descent followed by the last 1 km to the top of Alto de Areitio (the middle section on the profile below. The climb to Mallabia is not the one being displayed)

The last 10 km includes a bit of climbing, too, as you would expect, before this year's Itzulia will conclude at the line in Eibar.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

That's some quick quality, Cuenca.

More like procrastination from a mad man driven by insomniac.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

S-tier route, not an alien in sight, and no idea who's the favourite? Colour me excited in a way I haven't been all season.

Also, thanks for the excellent OP, Samu.

 

[tobydawq]

Caleb Ewan will have a fun time.

 

[Red Rick]

Caleb Ewan will hvae a fun time.

Surely he's there to win stage 2 and DNS the next day

 

[tobydawq]

Surely he's there to win stage 2 and DNS the next day

I don't know if he will necessarily DNS the next day, but yes, that must be the goal. But a weird team they're sending, INEOS. I assume Carlos Rodríguez is still injured?

The start list has really taken a hit from last year where it included Vingegaard, Roglic, Remco, Ayuso...

 

[Gigs_98]

That's actually a really good route. I'm not used to this, how am I supposed to react to this?

 

[tobydawq]

That's actually a really good route. I'm not used to this, how am I supposed to react to this?

Organise a flash mob in your local town.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

A gazillion time improvement in parcours. The right length of TT for the race, no junior-length stages, only one faux-flat stage and actual Basque stages of the kind that traditionally give the race its identity.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Great parcour and no clear favorite. All the ingredients for a great week, so this can only end in dissapointment. 5 group sprints and some chump wins on the advantage from the TT.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Almeida vs the Lipopotamus vs Mas for the overall win.

 

[Red Rick]

That's actually a really good route. I'm not used to this, how am I supposed to react to this?

We find a different reason to have a meltdown

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Almeida vs the Lipopotamus vs Mas for the overall win.

No faith in Skjelmose? If back in form after his crash, there is nobody who the route suits better.

 

[Mayomaniac]

No faith in Skjelmose? If back in form after his crash, there is nobody who the route suits better.

Forgot about him, if in form this route indeed suits him well.
Incoming gc Lafay hype?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Forgot about him, if in form this route indeed suits him well.
Incoming gc Lafay hype?

What happened to Berthet in Catalunya? He was doing very well in his first races this season. He and Lafay are not exactly great time trialists though, so they should be on the back foot after today.

 

[topcat]

We find a different reason to have a meltdown

Cry about Mvdp's illness constantly in the Itzulia thread?

 

[search]

Looks like a good parcours to me as well, but I would have liked the ITT to be a bit more on the technical side.

This way, it should be an easy win for Ethan Hayter today, of course.

 

[Didinho]

Thibau to have a field day in stage 3 and/or 4.

 

[Berflamand]

Looks like a good parcours to me as well, but I would have liked the ITT to be a bit more on the technical side.

This way, it should be an easy win for Ethan Hayter today, of course.

I hope so but I feel like there's no such thing as an 'easy win' for Hayter anymore these days.

EDIT: are they expecting changing weather conditions?

I see Hayter starts as third rider with also Schachmann and Van Wilder starting early while Knox, Vansevenant and Vervaeke start as last riders of SQS.

 

[search]

I hope so but I feel like there's no such thing as an 'easy win' for Hayter anymore these days.

EDIT: are they expecting changing weather conditions?

I see Hayter starts as third rider with also Schachmann and Van Wilder starting early while Knox, Vansevenant and Vervaeke start as last riders of SQS.

as far as I can see, there's more wind in the afternoon than now, but it's likely to pick up before the start already. So the chances of an early advantage are probably slim.

 

[Didinho]

McNulty favorite for today? Maybe Schachmann and Almeida? Not so many good TT riders at the start.

 

[pablohidalgo7]

If RB Bora have fixed a bit his TT setup Lipo will surprise a few people today...