Itzulia Basque Country 2023
Latest News from the Race
-
Jonas Vingegaard seals Itzulia Basque Country title with rampaging third stage win
Defending Tour de France champion lays down a major marker for July -
As it happened: Itzulia Basque Country final stage
All the action from the short and explosive final stage in Eibar -
Itzulia Basque Country: Sergio Higuita wins stage 5 with perfect sprint
Vingegaard retains race lead after another hilly stage
Date | April 3-8, 2023 |
Start location | Vitoria-Gasteiz |
Finish location | Eibar |
Distance | Six stages |
Category | Men's WorldTour |
Previous edition | 2022 Itzulia Basque Country |
Jonas Vingegaard seals Itzulia Basque Country title with rampaging third stage win
Latest results
Stage 1: Ethan Hayter won the opening stage from a reduced bunch sprint and took the first leader's jersey.
Stage 2: Ide Schelling claims a dramatic downhill victory after hair-raising descent on way to Leitza finish line
Stage 3: Jonas Vingegaard moves into race lead after taking victory on brutally steep Amasa-Villabona finish
Stage 4: Vingegaard makes it two in a row on stage 4 and extends his overall lead over Landa
Stage 5: Sergio Higuita wins stage 5 with a perfect sprint on another hilly day before finale
Stage 6: Jonas Vingegaard tamed a potentially treacherous final day of Itzulia Basque Country, sealing the overall title with a long-range solo stage victory
The 62nd edition of Itzulia Basque Country provides six days of tough hills and endless climbing for the WorldTour peloton from April 3-8, 2023.
The race began in 1924 when it was known as the GP Excelsior, with early winners including Francis Pellissier, 1929 Tour de France winner Maurice De Waele, and, in 1935, Gino Bartali.
In 1936, the race shut down seemingly for good due to the Spanish Civil War. Despite Francisco Franco's oppressive reign though, there were several attempts to resume the race in Bilbao and San Sebastián, none of which took hold.
In the 1950s, it was resurrected as a race in Eibar, which became the Eibarko Bizikleta, later the Euskal Bizikleta, and then the Tour of the Basque Country in 1969.
Jacques Anquetil, Luis Ocaña (twice), Sean Kelly (three times), and record four-time winner José Antonio González Linares were among the winners in the 18 years before the race split apart again, with the Euskal Bizikleta going solo in until re-merging with the Tour of the Basque Country after the global financial crisis of 2008.
In the meantime, Tony Rominger dominated the race in the early 1990s, while Iban Mayo, Denis Menchov and Danilo Di Luca were among the notable victors of the 2000s. UCI regulations introduced in 2006 heralded the end of the split-stage format – one road stage, one time trial – which had been part of the race since 1969, substituted by the six-day structure that exists today.
Race organisers rejected a buyout proposal from Vuelta a España organisers Unipublic shortly after the 2008 financial crisis, while the Euskal Bizikleta merger brought aboard the Alto de Arrate climb in 2009, forming the race we know today.
In 2012, financial problems reappeared as the local government backers ran into trouble, with the race at serious risk of stopping altogether. However, a combination of fund-raising channels – including from fans, and sponsorship from Banco Sabadell Guipuzcoano – saved it.
Four years later, Alberto Contador won his fourth edition of the race, equalling José Antonio González Linares record in one of the final victories of his storied career. Primož Roglič's win in 2021 was his second, his final day comeback adding another strand of history to the famed Arrate.
Last year, another Arrate GC turnaround saw Dani Martínez (Ineos Grenadiers) wrest victory from Remco Evenepoel and take the second overall stage race title of his career.
Itzulia Basque Country route
Vitoria-Gasteiz hosts the race start for the first time in its history this year, kicking off six tough days in the hills of the Basque Country on the road to the short sharp queen stage in Eibar.
Along the way, 26 classified climbs, including the hills of Salidas, La Asturiana, Krabelin, and Izua, will provide the main challenges of the race, which features precious few flat kilometres along its route.
There's no time trial this year, and the famous climb of the Arrate isn't on the route either. Instead, expect the big differences to be made on the downhill finishes of stage 2 in Leitza and stage 4 in Santurtzi, as well as the sharp uphill finish of stage 3 in Villabona.
The finale in Eibar, meanwhile, packs seven climbs – including two first-category hills – into just 137.8km, where the 2023 race winner will be crowned with a traditional Basque txapela (beret).
Check out a full rundown of the 2023 Itzulia Basque Country route at our dedicated route page.
Itzulia Basque Country start list
Data powered by FirstCycling
Itzulia Basque Country schedule
Date | Stage | Location | Length | Timing (CET) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Monday, April 3 | Stage 1 | Vitoria-Gasteiz - Labastida | 165.4km | 12:59 - 17:29 |
Tuesday, April 4 | Stage 2 | Viana - Leitza | 193.8km | 12:29 - 17:30 |
Wednesday, April 5 | Stage 3 | Errenteria - Amasa-Villabona | 153.9km | 13:04 - 17:29 |
Thursday, April 6 | Stage 4 | Santurtzi - Santurtzi | 175.7km | 12:53 - 17:30 |
Friday, April 7 | Stage 5 | Amorebieta - Amorebieta | 165.9km | 13:06 - 17:29 |
Saturday, April 8 | Stage 6 | Eibar - Eibar | 137.8km | 13:50 - 17:30 |
Itzulia Basque Country teams
- Ineos Grenadiers
- AG2R Citroën
- Alpecin-Deceuninck
- Arkéa-Samsic
- Astana Qazaqstan
- Bora-Hansgrohe
- Cofidis
- Team DSM
- EF Education-EasyPost
- Groupama-FDJ
- Intermarché-Circus-Wanty
- Jayco-AlUla
- Movistar
- Soudal-QuickStep
- Bahrain Victorious
- Trek-Segafredo
- Jumbo-Visma
- UAE Team Emirates
- Burgos-BH
- Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
- Kern Pharma
- Euskaltel-Euskadi
- TotalEnergies
Stages
-
Itzulia Basque Country 20233 April 2023 - 8 April 2023 | Basque Country | WorldTour
Latest Content on the Race

'Shameful', 'way too dangerous' – riders condemn Itzulia Basque Country finish
By Daniel Ostanek published
News Fast, twisting descent in the finale of stage 2 in Leitza draws rider complaints

Bahrain Victorious leader Pello Bilbao out of Itzulia Basque Country
By Simone Giuliani published
News Basque rider will not start stage 2 due to respiratory infection

Itzulia Basque Country 2023 favourites - who can take on Jonas Vingegaard?
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
Analysis Star-studded lineup for new-format six-day Basque WorldTour race

Egan Bernal back in training after Volta a Catalunya crash
By Daniel Ostanek published
News Colombian expected to ride next week's Itzulia Basque Country as teammate Martínez defends 2022 title

How to watch Itzulia Basque Country – live streaming
By Daniel Ostanek published
News Catch all the action as Vingegaard headlines the contenders in the hills of the Basque Country

Vader 'having to relearn everything' after Basque Country crash
By Cyclingnews published
News Jumbo-Visma rider to leave hospital three weeks after serious crash

Milan Vader to be repatriated two weeks after crash in Basque Country
By Laura Weislo published
News Dutchman sends first message on social media: 'Better news now'

Dani Martínez coy on Tour de France role after Itzulia win
By Cyclingnews published
News 'I'm at the disposal of the team' says in-form Ineos rider
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Top News on the Race
-
Vader 'having to relearn everything' after Basque Country crash
Jumbo-Visma rider to leave hospital three weeks after serious crash -
Milan Vader to be repatriated two weeks after crash in Basque Country
Dutchman sends first message on social media: 'Better news now' -
Dani Martínez coy on Tour de France role after Itzulia win
'I'm at the disposal of the team' says in-form Ineos rider
-
Remco Evenepoel disappointed to miss out on podium at Itzulia Basque Country
'I was missing some percentages to be up there to fight with the best' says QuickStep leader -
Jumbo-Visma's Vader hospitalised after crash in Basque Country
26-year-old crashed on descent on stage 5 of Itzulia -
Evenepoel moves into race lead at Itzulia Basque Country
Belgian chasing first WorldTour stage race win since his Lombardy crash
-
Pierre Latour out of Itzulia Basque Country after stage 4 crash
TotalEnergies rider had been in top ten of GC before fall but now will not line up for stage 5 -
Roglic: I'm missing a bit of legs and a bit of luck at Itzulia
Race leader shedding bonus seconds to rivals in finishing sprints -
Alaphilippe denied another Itzulia stage win by a tyre length
'Maybe I'm still lacking a little confidence' says Frenchman after stage 4
Related Features
-
Itzulia Basque Country 2023 favourites - who can take on Jonas Vingegaard?
Star-studded lineup for new-format six-day Basque WorldTour race -
Roglic final rider down start ramp on stage 1 of Itzulia Basque Country
Time trial start times for the WorldTour stage race -
Itzulia Basque Country: Those fleeting moments that made the race
From Roglic's long wait in the hot seat to that final winning pact