As it happened: Mass sprint concludes Itzulia Basque Country stage 2

 Hello and welcome to the live coverage of stage 2 of the 2025 Itzulia Basque Country!

The riders have rolled out in Pamplona to start today's stage.

The peloton are riding through a 7km neutral zone before the official start is given.

The race opened on Monday with a 16.5km time trial in Vitoria-Gasteiz with Max Schachmann taking victory and the first leader's jersey.

Here's a look back at the action from stage 1

186km to go

The flag has dropped and racing is underway.

Early attacks fly...

Five riders have jumped away from the peloton right from the start.

182km to go

Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Diego Uriarte (Kern Pharma), Julen Arriola-Bengoa (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Sinuhe Fernandez (Burgos-Burpellet-BH) are up the road.

Ineos Grenadiers have taken up work at the head of the peloton. 

The peloton rolling out at the start of the stage.

173km to go

The break has 1:35 on the peloton.

Rolling hills in this early part of the stage.

Here's a look at the breakaway up the road today.

2:20 for the break currently.

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153km to go

Almost an hour of racing over and done with on the first road stage of this year's Itzulia.

A shot of the peloton during stage 2.

Ineos continue to lead the way.

A 38kph average speed so far today.

The riders now tackling the only categorised climb of the day, San Martin Unx (4km at 3.4%).

Uriarte was second-quickest to hill at the first checkpoint on stage 1 so he's currently leading the mountain classification.

Another look at the breakaway.

Uriarte led Bayer and Isasa over the climb to add another three KOM points to his total.

122km to go

1:40 between the break and peloton on the flat land following the climb. 

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The peloton continues at 1:30 down on the break.

106km to go

The stage is nearing its halfway point now.

There's not much going on at the moment so here's a nice shot of the breakaway.

Here's a look back at the results from stage 1 on Monday.

The riders passed the 13th century Palace of the Kings of Navarre of Olite during today's stage.

42.5kph is the average speed through the opening two hours of today's stage.

90km to go

1:25 for the breakaway currently with not much changing out on the road.

Tadej Pogačar off the pace and in trouble the day after his Tour of Flanders dominance

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After a long, flat stretch, the riders are heading back towards hillier terrain now, though there are no more classified climbs on the route.

79km to go

Ineos Grenadiers continue to lead the peloton.

The British team are riding for Caleb Ewan in the sprint today.

There aren't many other sprinters at this race. Ewan is joined on the startlist by Axel Zingle, Jon Aberasturi, Ethan Hayter, and Alex Aranburu.

Ineos and Visma at the front.

The riders are approaching the day's intermediate sprint at the finish line in Lodosa now.

61km to go

Bayer led Fernandez and Isasa over the line.

Two minutes for the break at the moment.

39km to go

Still 2:10 for the peloton.

Race leader Max Schachmann in the peloton today.

Ineos are still in charge at the front.

Two minutes for the breakaway.

38km to go

The pace is only going up on the road to the finish now.

The gap is down to 1:40.

Bayer led the break through the day's second and final intermediate sprint a few kilometres ago.

Visma and Ineos still up front in the peloton. Soudal-QuickStep are up there too.

30km to go

1:35 for the break.

Now it's Visma and QuickStep who have taken over at the front.

25km to go

1:22 for the breakaway now as the seconds tick away.

Now it's approaching a minute on this fast run back to Lodosa.

20km to go

It's under a minute for the break.

Splits at the front of the peloton on a small hill!

Mauro Schmid upped the pace on the front on the way up.

The peloton now lies 22 seconds behind the break.

All back together and the peloton is strung out behind Schmid.

Arriola-Bengoa drops from the break.

17km to go

Four left up front but it's almost over for them.

Schmid takes it up at the front again on this flat road.

15km to go

Visma now back on the front.

Numerous team represented up front, including Decathlon AG2R who are now moving up.

The gap to the break is back up to 30 seconds now.

10km to go

The finishing sprint is fast approaching.

The chase behind the break.

The break are hanging on to 25 seconds as they reach the 7km mark.

5km to go

Isasa attacks off the front!

4km to go

22 seconds for Isasa.

Fernandez is chasing solo as Bayer and Uriarte are next on the road.

Still a mix of teams leading the peloton.

3km to go

15 seconds for Isasa.

Bayer and Uriarte are caught.

Victor Campenaerts crashes in the peloton as Fernandez is caught up front.

2km to go

Ineos are now back on the front.

And now Isasa is caught and the breakaway is over.

1km to go

It's the final kilometre and Ineos continue to lead it out.

Intermarché-Wanty now take over with two men.

Ineos and Groupama-FDJ next in line.

Ewan is third wheel on the closing straight.

He bursts past the Intermarché pair and hits the front.

Finish

Caleb Ewan wins stage 2 of Itzulia Basque Country!

He won that easily, beating Luca Van Boven and Bastien Tronchon to the line.

Ewan celebrates his stage win.

That's Ewan's second win of the season following a win on the opening day at the Settimana Coppi e Bartali.

Itzulia Basque Country: Caleb Ewan wins stage 2

Second victory for Australian since joining Ineos Grenadiers

The dash for the line in Lodosa.

Ewan celebrates on the podium following his win.

Meanwhile, the race lead heading into stage 3 is retained by stage 1 winner Max Schachmann.

"It's the only stage of the race that realistically I can win, so there was a load of pressure on me to come here and deliver, but the team did a great job," Ewan commented.

"We controlled things from the start, the boys did a great job putting me into position for the last part and then I just had to sprint."

 "We were probably short of one guy and it was quite hard coming into the roundabout over the bridge [in the last kilometre], but I got there in the last corner in third wheel, so it was good."

"If there was wind today, it'd have been a really hard stage, but fortunately there were no crosswinds, and I'm happy it was just a pretty straightforward day."

That's all from us today. Come back tomorrow for live coverage of stage 3!