Vingegaard, for Itzulia before returning for the Tour

The reigning Tour de France champion, the Danish Jonas Vingegaard, assumed to be the top favorite for the final victory in the 62nd edition of the Basque Country Itzuliamodern name of the traditional Basque Country Tour, renamed ‘la Itzulia’.

This will be the first of two major events where the brilliant winner of the 2022 Tour is expected in the Basque Country. The second is the departure of the next Grande Bouclé and with the aim of endorsing their success last year.

At the helm of a powerful Jumbo-Visma announcing its leader teammates Rohan Dennis, Steven Kruijswijk, Sam Oomen and Attila Valter, the Hillerslev cyclist will try to dominate a race in which he was second in 2021 and helped his teammate to win over Cousin Roglic.

As every year, Itzulia will have its fair share of the best in the international peloton for a week through winding and demanding routes that the organization of the race, OCETA, program through the Basque road.

This year there is no stage against the clock and it seems that strong points await the favorites on the final slope of the third stage in Billabonathe last section of the fourth from Alto de la Asturiana to the finish line, also up to Santurtzi and the final fireworks in Eibar, although there is no traditional finish near the Sanctuary of Arrate.

Although one that is one of the reference ports of Basque and Spanish cycling will be promoted. Specifically on two occasions, by Krabelin and by Ixua, two of the three First ascents of that final stage and of the race next to the Alto de Azurki, which opened fire at the start of that final day.

In total, a thousand kilometers of travel, 18,000 meters of positive unevenness, almost thirty (27) high points, many climbs that are not and bonuses on goals (10, 6 and 4 seconds) and the special that sprint (3, 2 and 1).

Among the main rivals of Vingegaard and Jumbo is also the powerful INEOS of the current champion of the race, the Colombian Daniel Felipe Martínez, and his compatriot Egan Bernal, a winner of the Tour in search of his definitive recovery after his terrible accident.

Both will be accompanied by locals Jonathan Castroviejo and Omar Fraile. Although the Basque figures were placed by Bahrain-Victorious with Mikel Landa and Pello Bilbao, great candidates for the final victory and both before a great opportunity to dominate the race of their land.

Another of the candidates has already achieved this, Ion Izagirre, winner in 2019 and now in Cofidis. His brother Gorka, one of Enric Mas’s most important supporters, is at Movistar, completing the strong group of Spaniards who see themselves chasing all along with Frenchman David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and the British which is Simon Yates (Team Jyco AlUla ).

Alex Aranburu also belongs to the squad of the only Spanish team UCI WorldTeamwho debuted two years ago as a winner of the UCI World Tour events exactly in this race with a stage with a finish line in Sestao very similar to the fourth of this edition with a finish in Santurtzi.

The current Ecuadorian Olympic champion Richard Carapaz (EF) and the German Emanuel Buchmann (Bora) are two other figures expected tomorrow at the start in Labastida of the Itzulia edition that outlines the general rehearsal for the start of the Tour in Bilbao on July 1. The French race will cover the entire Basque country in three days and will probably start with the same great favorite for victory.

A vingegaard that, as all the big stars are doing this season (Pogacar, Roglic, Evenepoel, Van Aert and Van del Poel), he wants to take victory wherever he runs. And this week it’s on Itzulia. A good aperitif for the Tour two months later.

Itzulia Basque Country 2023

stages

1. Vitoria-Gasteiz/Labastida 165.4 Kms.
2. Viana/Leitza 193.8 Kms.
3. Errenteria/Amasa-Villabona 162.8 Kms.
4. Santurtzi/Santurtzi 175.7 Kms.
5. Amorebieta-Etxano/Amorebieta-Etxano 164.5 Kms.
6. Eibar/Eibar 137.8 km.

Itzulia Basque Country 2023

recent history

2022 Daniel Felipe Martinez
2021 Cousin Roglic
2019 Ion Izagirre
2018 Cousin Roglic
2017 Alexander Valverde
2016 Alberto Contador
2015 Joaquim Rodriguez
2014 Alberto Contador
2013 Nairo Quintana
2012 Samuel Sanchez

Itzulia Basque Country 2023

Palmares

with 4 wins:
José Antonio González Linares (1972, 1975, 1977, 1978)
Alberto Contador (2008, 2009, 2014, 2016)

there are 3:
Sean Kelly (1984, 1986, 1987)
Tony Rominger (1992, 1993, 1994)

there are 2:
Maurice de Waele (1928, 1929)
Luis Ocana (1971, 1973)
Alex Zülle (1995, 1997)
Cousin Roglic (2018, 2021)