From the 7th to the 12th of April, the peloton will take on Itzulia Basque Country; a race that is well known for it's course designed for climbers and puncheurs in a region full of cycling history. We take a look at it's profiles.
The race consists of six stages, opening up with a hilly time-trial, followed by a somewhat flat stage and then four consecutive days of riding in the hills and mountains - where the overall classification can be decided on every single one.
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Stage 1 (ITT): Vitoria-Gasteiz - Vitoria-Gasteiz, 16.5 kilometers
The race starts off with a 16-kilometer time-trial in Vitoria-Gasteiz, one that is not flat and as usual will already create some early differences between the overall classification contenders.
There is no technical aspect to this time-trial, it's very simple and in the first half, although they are not too difficult, there are a couple of small ascents. Still, it is mostly rolling terrain where the specialists can still make the difference.
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Stage 2: Pamplona - Lodosa, 197.9 kilometers
Stage 2 is the one day where the sprinters can happily say that they will have a clear opportunity to win. Don't be mistaken, it's not a traditional flat day, but the climbs won't be too dramatic and a bunch sprint seems relatively inevitable going into Lodosa after 197 kilometers.
There will be 1600 meters of climbing over the day, not too much, and the final climb summits with 17 kilometers to go, being around 2 kilometers at 4%. No-one who wants to fight for the stage win will get dropped in such gradients, and a bunch sprint is then likely.
It won't be a simple one, with a roundabout coming with 2.3 kilometers to go which leads to a downhill section where the speeds will be very high. With 1.2 to go they reach the riverside and from here on out it's a flat finale, with a slight right-hander with around 300 meters to go.
Stage 3: Zarautz - Beasain, 157 kilometers
The third day of the race will be the introduction to what Itzulia offers the most. The stage between Zarautz and Beasain will feature plenty ascents and the ones that come later in the day are extremely steep. Not necessarily a day just for the climbers, plenty riders can have a chance in such an explosive finale.
3100 meters of climbming on the menu, however most of the climbs in the first two thirds of the race will be there to set fatigue and won't see attacks. Even the penultimate of the day, the toughest - to Gainza - is unlikely to see attacks because of the long flat stretch that follows. Nevertheless, the ascent is 2.3 kilometers long at 11% and it gets substantially steeper at the summit, so a lot of riders will go to the limit here (the climb ends with 37 kilometers to go).
The attacks should come later in the day instead, on the ascent to Lazkaomendi which is 1.4 kilometers long at 9.4%. Not as difficult but the summit comes with only 6 kilometers to the finish, and going solo over the top means an almost certain win as the descent will quickly lead the riders into town. The final 3 kilometers are still mostly flat, and so there is room for more attacks before the finish for those looking to avoid a sprint.
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Stage 4: Beasain - Markina-Xemein, 170.1 kilometers
Stage 4 is a harder challenge with no doubt, a day, one where the climbers can make a lot of difference, even if the attacks only come on the final ascent. There will be punchy ascents early on in the day which adds to the fatigue and increase the day's total amount of climbing to 2800 meters, but the focus will truly be on that final climb.
Before the downhill finish into Markina-Xemein is 3.5 kilometers long at almost 10% and this is a climb that without a doubt the climbers can use to make the difference. In Izua, the ramps will go up to 20% and this finishes only with 11 kilometers to go on the day.
Like the previous day, this is one where if you go over the top of the final climb alone a victory is quite likely, as most of the way to the finish is downhill and will be very fast - whilst a group will never have an easy time organizing a proper chase.
Stage 5: Orduña - Gernika-Lumo, 172.9 kilometers
Stage 5 is a tricky day to predict, a hilly day but the climbs aren't truly brutal. The overall classification can absolutely implode if someone fully devotes to attacking the race, however if this isn't the case we may have a tactical finale or even reduced bunch sprint - if not a breakaway - to decide the outcome of the day.
The ascent to Zalobante will be under the spotlight, being 4.9 kilometers long at 6.4% and ending with 14 kilometers to go. The first half of this climb averages almost 10% and can be used to make the difference. Regardless, the peloton will lose men, and it's possible that over the less steep second half there will be attacks and attempts to go for a solo win, not based on strength but instead on tactics.
However this can be played in many different ways, as with 3 kilometers to go there is a 700-meter ramp that averages 6% where more attacks can happen. A finale that is open to many kinds of riders and can be quite interesting, even bringing forward some surprises.
Stage 6: Eibar - Eibar, 154.1 kilometers
The queen stage in the Basque Country is always a day to fear unless you're an extremely talented climber. 3600 meters of climbing in 154 kilometers starting and finishing in the town of Eibar, with some very difficult climbs spread all throughout the day. It's one purely for the climbers, where the key attacks can come on several moments of the day.
Truly a gruesome day of racing. The climbs, mostly, are known to those who participate in this race but it won't make them any easier:
Ekorrieta: 2.5Km; 6.2%; 140Km to go
Azurki: 5.1Km; 7.4%; 129Km to go
Krabelin: 5Km; 9.4%; 107Km to go
Trabakua: 3.3Km; 6.8%; 85Km to go
Karabieta: 6.5Km; 6.5%; 65Km to go
Krabelin is the hardest climb of the day, and it's quite possible that some riders will try to raid the race in there, but the climb where it's most likely that there will be big attacks is Izua which comes with a manageable 38 kilometers to go. It's just over 4 kilometers long but the final 3 average 10%, it's steep and long enough for the pure climbers to really make a difference. However the climbing doesn't end there.
The ascent to Trabakua is ridden once again, now finishing with 18 kilometers to go, followed by two small ascents... The climbing truly never ends on a day like this, as even after the final categorized ascent there are still three serious ones to tackle.
The last of which is the 'variante' ascent, on a wide highway area, only 500 meters long but it averages 10% and comes with 5 kilometers to go at the end of a brutal day. The finale itself won't be downhill but rather rolling, with small downhill or uphill gradients all the way into the finish line in Eibar.
🔝2025EKO ITZULIA BASQUE COUNTRYREN KARTEL OFIZIALA 🔝
— Itzulia Basque Country (@ehitzulia) March 25, 2025
Gaur aurkeztu dugu 2025eko Itzulia Basque Countryren kartel ofiziala.
Itzuliaren 64. edizioko kartelaren egilea David de las Heras da, @david_delasheras
🔥 CARTEL OFICIAL DE LA ITZULIA BASQUE COUNTRY 2025 🔥
Hoy hemos… pic.twitter.com/gBcoLRkjzo
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Because for you deviated implies the other rider MUST have been made to fall and fail to finish ??? I don’t know if you ride a bike but next time someone carves you up or drives dangerously close, just hold back from those feelings of changing something, reporting or filming or even complaining. Everyone will just say, hey you’re still here undamaged, doesn’t seem like anyone did anything.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- And we, what are we doing?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- And yet, it attracts people, even you. What’s more, it attracts the rival fanboys to fill cyberspace with endless pointless my hero is better than your hero blabla that’s all been heard before and only helps sell the site as an advertising platform. You know what the solution is but most can’t resist. No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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