Race analysis, favourites, and predictions for Itzulia Basque Country 2025

The first two Sundays of April feature the Ronde Van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix, the two cobbled monuments of the cycling calendar and the most eagerly awaited moments of the year for top classics specialists and many fans. However, during the six days between these two races, the Itzulia Basque Country offers a meeting point for climbers and puncheurs, who find the Basque roads to be the perfect playground to prepare for the Ardennes Classics and the Giro, which starts in a month.

 
Route

As mentioned, the race consists of six stages, running from Monday to Saturday to avoid clashing with the two Sunday monuments. The competition opens with a 16.5 km time trial. The second stage is the flattest of the week, yet it still features nearly 2,000 meters of elevation gain, setting the tone for the race. The remaining stages, categorized as medium mountain, are filled with steep climbs and mountain passes, with elevation gains ranging from 2,500 to 3,500 meters. This makes Itzulia a race for climbers and strong puncheurs who can deliver a solid time trial on the opening day.

 
Favorites

João Almeida (1200), Brandon McNulty (1000), Mattias Skjelmose (1000), Florian Lipowitz (600), Enric Mas (1000), Alexandr Vlasov (1000), Pello Bilbao (800), Ilan Van Wilder (800), Daniel Felipe Martínez (600), and Isaac Del Toro (400) are the main contenders for the general classification.

Alex Aranburu (800), Sepp Kuss (800), Marc Hirschi (800), Marc Soler (800), Maxim Van Gils (600), Ben Healy (600), Thibau Nys (600), and Axel Zingle (600) are strong candidates for stage wins, to name a few from the starting list, which is filled with high-level cyclists.

 
Photo: © Itzulia Basque Country