Faustino V – Eibar (Arrate)
Distance: 153km
Highest point: 940m
Category: Medium mountains
First test for the contenders
Following last year’s highly successful return to the Basque Country after a very long hiatus, Basque fans only get one chance to cheer their orange-clad heroes on the Euskaltel team this year. However, what a stage for such an early point in a grand tour. There are three categorised climbs leading into the ascent of the Arrate – a traditional feature of the Tour of the Basque Country and the much-missed Bicicleta Vasca – that rises 410m in just 5km. There are steep pitches along the way, followed by two flattish closing kilometres. The big guns will emerge, although the gaps between them will be small.
Igor Anton: "We’re back to the Basque Country after the success of last year in Bilbao and Vitoria. What memories I’ve got of those days! This is a special stage as we are on home ground. On the Arrate, we will see who is in form and who’s a bit off."
-
'All my fractures are healing pretty well' - Alexis Magner signs with EF Education-Oatly after devastating crash in July
31-year-old gets extra motivation to recover from collapsed lung, multiple fractures -
Best cycling shorts 2025: Our favorite shorts in every category, for every budget
The best cycling shorts for summer, winter and adventure riding, tested and reviewed -
Juan Ayuso, Julian Alaphilippe and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot lead Spain and France teams for Rwanda World Championships
Monument and Grand Tour stage winners added to start lists for elite races -
'The UCI sets the rules' - Vuelta a España organiser describe protests as 'unacceptable' but insists they could not expel the Israel-Premier Tech team
UCI condemns Spanish government for "exploitation of sport for political purposes"
