News

This 2021 the 60th edition of the Itzulia Basque Country is celebrated and, as usual, the race will travel through some of the most beautiful landscapes that the peloton passes through throughout the year, with prominence for the exuberant vegetation.

Route

The route of this edition of the Itzulia is made up of 6 stages, and will start with an individual time trial of 14 kilometers. Thus, on the first day, the first differences in the general classification will already be marked. The rest of the stages have undulating mid-mountain profiles and, as a peculiarity, none of them falls below the 2,200 meters of positive slope. The sixth and last stage, ending in Arrate, contains up to 7 categorized climbs, and will undoubtedly be decisive in defining the final podium.

Favorites

Traditionally the race has been dominated by Spanish cyclists, but this year we must look for the three main favorites in the British Adam Yates (1000), who prevailed in the Volta a Catalunya with authority, and in the Slovenians Tadej Pogačar (1200) and Primož Roglič (1200) (winner in 2018). The champions of the 2019 edition Ion Izagirre (800) and of 2017, Alejandro Valverde (1000) will also take the start. Other applicants can be Jakob Fuglsang (1200), Maximilian Schachmann (1000), Wilco Kelderman (800), Emanuel Buchmann (600), Esteban Chaves (400), Enric Mas (1000), Hugh John Carthy (600), Sergio Higuita (600), Rigoberto Uran (400), Bauke Mollema (600), Jesús Herrada (400), Guillaume Martin (600), Richard Carapaz (1000), Tao Geoghegan Hart (800), Michael Woods (800), Mikel Landa (800) or Pello Bilbao (600).

Some stage hunters such as Thomas Degendt (600), Marc Hirschi (600), Benoit Cosnefroy (400), Angel Madrazo (400), Daryl Impey (600), Alexey Lutsenko (600) or Luis León Sánchez (400) will also take the start.