Date | May 15-17, 2026 |
Start location | Zarautz |
Finish location | Donostia |
Distance | 372.4km |
Category | Women’s WorldTour |
Previous edition | |
Previous winner | Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) |
After losing the race lead on the final day in each of the last two editions of this race, Mischa Bredewold finally pulled it off this year, defending her lead with skill on a tough final day in Spain. Dropped on the final climb, she sped down the descent and onto the flat to catch up only in the final kilometre to save her race. She even attempted a sprint, but didn't have enough in the legs, with stage 2 winner Włodarczyk doubling up for her second stage win in as many day.
It was an attacking, punchy finale to stage 2 on Saturday, with various moves going over the final climbs, until one finally went with Włodarczyk and Shirin van Anrooij. The pair went into the final kilometre with a small gap, but the peloton were bearing down fast, and race leader Mischa Bredewold very nearly caught them – in fact she did come back Van Anrooij to take second, but Włodarczyk just grabbed the win. Bredewold took the race lead into the final day.
Stage 1: Mischa Bredewold sprints to opening stage victory from a select group of five
As she did for the last two years, Mischa Bredewold once again won the opening stage in Itzulia, forming part of an elite group that went away and then sprinting to the win in Zarautz to claim the leader's jersey.
Itzulia Women information
The three-day Itzulia Women made its debut in 2022. Taking in the mountainous terrain of the Basque Country in northern Spain, the event was organised by OCETA sports association, which also runs the long-standing six-day Itzulia Basque Country men's stage race that is held in April.
Itzulia Women is held in the middle of an important block of Spanish stage racing; La Vuelta España Femenina takes place in early May, and then Vuelta a Burgos Feminas follows the Itzulia Women race. All three events are on the Women’s WorldTour.
In 2022, Demi Vollering dominated the inaugural Itzulia Women by winning all three stages and the general classification.
In 2023, Team SD Worx continued their domination of Itzulia Women with Vollering winning the first two stages, but her teammate Marlen Reusser snatched the overall title with a solo attack to take the third stage. Vollering finished second overall, and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-Sram) was third.
In 2024, Vollering finished on the top step of the podium, winning the overall title ahead of her SD Worx teammate Mischa Bredewold and Team DSM's Juliette Labous.
Vollering moved to the FDJ-Suez team for 2025 but continued to dominate at Itzulia Women. She secured overall victory with a solo victory on the final stage around Donostia.
The 2022 and 2024 winner attacked on the Mendizorrotz climb and soloed to the finish to win the stage, 55 seconds ahead of Sarah van Dam (Ceratizit) and Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal).
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Itzulia Women Schedule
Date | Stage | Start time CET | Finish time CET |
|---|---|---|---|
May 15 | Stage 1: Zarautz - Zarautz | 10:16 | 13:30 |
May 16 | Stage 2: Abadiño - Amorebieta-Etxano | 09:41 | 13:30 |
May 17 | Stage 3: Donostia - Donostia | 10:23 | 13:30 |
