Itzulia Basque Country stands out as one of the most explosive and thrilling races of the year. Scheduled from April 1st to April 6th, this Basque race promises to showcase many of the world's best climbers on a route packed with challenging climbs every single day. Let's delve into the race profiles.
10 kilometers to start off the race. The opening day of the Basque race features a small individual time-trial, where gaps can be created however. This certainly is not an effort for the pure specialists but instead for those in-form. It features climbing, descending and it is definitely one that is not easy to manage the effort.
There is a small cobbled ramp early in the effort that will make for good images, but the most key point of the time-trial is the climb up to the intermediate point. It is 1.7 kilometers at over 5%, with some steep ramps present certainly.
What follows all the way back into Irun are mostly downhill and flat roads, non-technical, where speed will be very high. The riders still find an uphill ramp to the line, the efforts do not end there.
Stage 2 of the Basque race is one that certainly describes quite well the region. It is a stage for the sprinters, likely, but it lacks flat roads throughout the day in all honesty. It is a 160-kilometer day with 2300 meters of climbing, where there is only one categorized ascent right at the start of the day.
Throughout the day the riders find constant rolling roads. Never any big climb, but the fatigue will be building up. The entire stage takes place inside France actually and perhaps that is why it lacks the big climbs!
Either ways a sprint is likely, among those who can climb surely, as the final kilometers feature a few hilltops. The final kilometers are no exception, the riders find a technical area into the 4-kilometer to go area, the descent means that from beforehand there will be a big fight for positioning.
The final 2.2 kilometers then see two small rises. One is based inside the final kilometer already which will not be technical but gives opportunity for a possible late attack; and will also make life harder for the sprinters.
The third day of racing in Itzulia starts off right away with a climb in Ezpeleta which is 7.8 kilometers at 6%. This should be enough to establish a strong breakaway; but if not, three other categorized over the first 86 kilometers of the day should do the trick. Unlike most days in this race, the following section of the stage is actually rather flat.
But before the final in Altsasu however there will still be some tough challenges ahead. One ascent is 1.7 kilometers at 7.5% which summits with 37.4 kilometers to go; and then a second longer ascents ends with only 18.4 kilometers to go. This last one is 6.3 kilometers at 5.2%, not the toughest of ascents but it can certainly do some damage. And without a descent following, the fatigue can definitely make the difference into a sprint.
The finale then is mostly flat, the final corner takes place with 400 meters to go, and then the sprint to the line will still be in an uphill gradient.
Stage 4 has a flat start in the Basque country, overall the first two thirds of the day are quite calm, mostly flat and the riders will mostly save themselves for the finale which features three climbs. It's a day with 2100 meters of climbing.
The riders climb Olaeta which is 3.2 kilometers at 5.7% with 38 kilometers to go and following a technical descent the riders enter into the second ascent directly. This one is 2.4 kilometers at 8.1%, a steep one where attacks may certainly come. This one ends with 25 kilometers to go and sees another short but technical descent after the summit.
After a flat section, the riders head into the ascent of Leintz-Gatzaga, the decisive one of the day. It's 2.9 kilometers at 8.% which goes up to 12%. The climb is explosive, it's tough and features a few switchbacks. The climb ends with only 10 kilometers to go.
Gaps can certainly emerge in this section of the stage, but regardless of that happening or not, a lot can happen in the remaining flat kilometers. There is no descending; so attacks can be consolidated, or attacks may come in the run-up to the line in Legutio.
A flat start to the fifth day of racing at Itzulia Basque Country, the roads outside Vitoria-Gasteiz are certainly not tough and will allow for a calmer start to the day. Towards the half of the day this will chance with the climb to Urkiola which is 5.5 kilometers at 9%. However this will be too early to be meaningful for the result of the stage.
The stage will be decided in it's final section which features a two-lap circuit that features a climb. This is the ascent to Muniketagaina just outside Amorebieta. The climb is 3.4 kilometers at 7% with 11 switchbacks in it. You could barely find a more explosive ascent, attacks are certain and with only 13 kilometers to the finish there are certainly reasons for it.
The riders find a short descent and a slight ascent for a few kilometers before descending finally into town definitely for what could be a small group sprint, or the celebration of a solo victor after a rough day in the Basque hills.
The queen stage. Many of the days throughout the week can see dangerous attacks, but the climbers will really come into their own in the classic Eibar day. It won't end with a climb but has seven categorized ascents. 3300 meters of climbing in just 138 kilometers to go. The start of the day sees three ascents: 2.6Km at 6.2%, 5.1Km at 7.4% and 9.6Km at 5.6%, all within just over 30 kilometers and all with gradients that go well above it's average.
The descents are technical, it wouldn't be the first time if the peloton split outside of the climbs themselves. The toughest climb of the day will soon arrive: Krabelin (4.4Km; 10%). It will be present halfway through the stage, it's 5 kilometers at 9.5% but the gradients reach much higher numbers. It's middle has a whole kilometer at 15%, it's a savage climb that ends with 68 kilometers to the finish.
Following it is a small descent and some rolling terrain. Three hilltops follow: 3.3Km at 6.9% (45Km to go); 700 meters at 11% (41Km to go) and 1Km at 6.4% (38Km to go). The quick succession will be complicated, but the real problem is that these climbs are sandwiched between the most important two of the day, and should only contribute to the fatigue.
It's in Izua (4.1Km; 9.1%) that the main moves are expected, it's the penultimate climb which summits with 27 kilometers to go. This is the final tough ascent of the race. Hard enough to create serious differences and close enough to the finish to go all-out. After six hilly days all can be turned around here.
In Urkaregi, which is 5.3Km at 4.5%, some differences can still be made. It's unlikely that attacks can succeed as the climb is literally half the gradient of the previous, but with the fatigue built up everything's possible. Above attacking, it's a place to consolidate previously established gaps, the climb summits with 13.2 kilometers to go.
From there on it isn't smooth sailing to the finish but the descent won't be as technical as some ridden before in the day. The race will finish in the center of Eibar, a very aesthetic finale to what is one of the most prestigious races of the year.
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