News

In the seven days that go from Ronde Van Vlaanderen to Paris-Roubaix, there are no major classics, and only Scheldeprijs on Wednesday serves as a last warm-up before Roubaix. However, this does not mean that there is no cycling, as for over forty years, the first week of April has been the location on the calendar for the Itzulia Basque Country. The Basque passion for cycling is well-known, and in their home race, many fans come out to the roads to cheer on the cyclists. On every climb, the roadsides filled with public provide some of the most beautiful images of the year.

Route

The race is made up of six stages, and as always, all of them feature hilly profiles characteristic of the area, making it an ideal race for climbers. Additionally, this is a part of the world where rain is very common, so favorites should be found among men who typically perform well in wet conditions.

Favorites

Defending champion Daniel Felipe Martinez (800) leads a list of favorites that also includes Jonas Vingegaard (1000), Enric Mas (1000), Pello Bilbao (1000), David Gaudu (1000), Adam Yates (1000), Simon Yates (800), Sergio Higuita (1000), Carlos Rodriguez (600), Mikel Landa (600), Juan Ayuso (600) and Rigoberto Uran (600).

Photo: © Charly López / Itzulia