Itzulia Basque Country 2026 route - Stage-by-stage guide

For the third consecutive year, Itzulia Basque Country kicks off with an individual time trial. Twelve months ago, it was Maximilian Schachmann who was victorious in Vitoria-Gasteiz, finishing on the same time as João Almeida and Florian Lipowitz.

This time around, it is the city of Bilbao, the largest in the Basque Country, that hosts the opening stage, one where early differences in the GC could be made.

The time trial is 13.9km in length, and the race organisers have suggested that it could suit the specialists; however, there's plenty of climbing that could see the GC contenders towards the front of the standings also. The riders will be climbing from the get-go to the top of Santo Domingo, a 2.4km section at 7.3%, which will certainly be in the climbers’ favour. 

The route then turns in favour of the specialists all the way to the finish, where a steep kicker with a maximum gradient of 19% awaits the riders. 

Stage 2 begins in Pamplona and concludes 164.1km later in Cuevas de Mendukilo on a day that features 3,300 metres of elevation gain. 

The route has been described by the race organisers as difficult, but it has been suggested that it's a stage that could suit the breakaway rather than an all-out GC battle, however, there is a strong chance that there could be GC gaps.

The most significant climb of the day is the San Miguel de Aralar, which is 9.5km in length and averages 7.7%. Naturally, a climb of this severity has earned itself a category one status, and the fact that the summit comes 19.5km from the finish line makes it all the more important.

From the summit, the riders will descend their way towards Mendukilo Kobazuloa, where the final kilometres rise to the finish line. It's a stage where GC contenders can very easily ship time if they find themselves on an off day, and if anyone is feeling very strong, attacks on the San Miguel de Aralar shouldn't be ruled out.

Stage 3 features the least amount of climbing in this year's Itzulia Basque Country, but 2,800m of elevation gain still isn't a small amount in truth, a reason why so few sprinters will take to the start line. 

Beginning and finishing in Basauri, the first 81km of the stage takes place over rolling terrain before reaching the first of three categorised climbs at Barrerilla (5km at 6.6%). A 10km stretch of false-flat follows the summit before the riders descend their way to the next two climbs that come in quick succession. 

First is the climb to Bikotx-Gane, which is 8km at 4.9%, quickly followed by the climb to Sarasola, a 2km effort at 5.6%. Neither climb should tear the race apart, but both can sting the legs ahead of the final run-in back to Basauri, which features plenty of uncategorised kickers.

The road also rises to the finish inside the final kilometre, so while there may be a sprint on the cards, it's one that should suit the versatile and punchier riders rather than the powerhouses.

Stage 4 is another that features over 3,000 metres of elevation gain, across 167.2km around Galdakao with seven categorised climbs in total. 

The final climb of the stage to Legina is the toughest and the only second-category ascent. At 3.2km in length, it's not the longest, but it packs a punch with an average gradient of 7.7%. With the summit just 8.8km from the finish line, the climb will surely entice riders who are feeling strong to roll the dice. 

If any differences are made on the climb, they will have to be maintained on the descent that follows before the run-in to Galdakao, where the road rises to the finish line, setting up for another explosive battle at the end of an attritional stage.

This stage also serves as a pre-amble for what's to come on the following day's queen stage, which is reminiscent in many ways.

This is the queen stage, and it's a brutal one at that. Taking place around the regular setting of Eibar, this 176.2km stage manages to pack in 3,841m of elevation gain. But more significantly, it's the steep and punishing nature of the climbing that makes this a crucial stage for the GC battle. 

Over recent years, Eibar has hosted the final stage of the race. Last year, João Almeida sealed the GC by outsprinting Enric Mas on a rain-soaked stage. Other recent winners in Eibar include Carlos Rodríguez, Jonas Vingegaard, Adam Yates and Primož Roglič, illustrating the high calibre required to be victorious. 

In total, the riders will tackle a whopping eight different categorised climbs, with the race heating up particularly 100km in the stage, when the riders reach the approach to the fifth climb, the category one Krabelin ascent. 

This climb is 5km in length, and averages a vicious 9.6%, and given the fact that fatigue will be setting in from previous climbs, it's going to be a painful one with 67.3km to go.  

The next crucial ascent is the category one climb to Izua, which is slightly shorter at 4.1km in length but still averages savage gradients of 9.25%. The summit of this climb comes 26.9km from the finish, and by this point, we could see some race-defining attacks on its slopes. 

If the race is still yet to be decided, one more steadier climb to Urkaregi, which is 5.2km at 4.7%, will serve as another launchpad. From the summit with 12.5km remaining, the riders will descend the climb from the other side, before the final kilometres are a false flat on the run-in to Eibar. 

The race concludes with another difficult stage that will shake up the GC and decide the final outcome. It’s the shortest road stage of the race at 135.4km, beginning in Goizper-Antzuola, but it is still going to be another very difficult stage that is more than capable of producing fireworks. 

Beginning in Goizper-Antzuola, the riders will immediately begin climbing to Asentzio for the first of two times in the stage, though the first ascent, which is 5.4km at 6.75%, isn't as difficult as the second. 

From here, the peloton will ride into Bergara, where the stage is set to finish, and begin a circuit which features two tough climbs, which they will tackle twice. The first is the category two climb to Gorla, a 7.2km climb at 7.5%, the more difficult of the two climbs. The descent from Gorla takes the riders to the foot of the next climb, the category three Azkarate, which is 3.1km at 6.3%.

The riders will pass through Bergara for the penultimate time with 18.3km remaining, but they won't tackle the same loop as previously, as a more difficult ascent to Asentzio awaits. The climb is 7.3km at 5.1% and has earned a category two status, with the summit positioned just 9.1km from the finish line, the final opportunity to make a difference on the climb. 

The road plummets back into Bergara for the closing kilometres before a fast and flat run-in where things could become tactical if the stage and GC are still in the balance.