The 64th edition of the Itzulia, the Tour of the Basque Country, starts on Monday 7 April with a 16 km individual time trial in Vitoria. It will probably be decisive for the general classification, even if there is no shortage of undulating and interesting stages with many short climbs but with challenging gradients. Also be careful on the descents: how can we forget the huge crash of the 2024 edition with Roglic, Evenepoel and Vingegaard forced to withdraw.

This time we start with the most quoted names: the three we mentioned previously will not be there. Many significant absences in a medium level start list. Among the favorites is Joao Almeida , captain of the Uae Emirates who will also be able to count on Brandon McNulty, Isaac Del Toro and Marc Soler.

Also trying to fight for the podium will be Lidl Trek with Mattias Skjelmose, whose conditions after the fall in Nice are still to be verified, Red Bull Bora hasgrohe with Florian Lipowitz, Dani Martinez and Aleksandr Vlasov, and Bahrain Victorious with Pello Bilbao and Santiago Buitrago. Also trying to do something good will be Enric Mas for Movistar, Oscar Onley of Team Picnic, and Ben Tulett of Visma Lease a Bike.

For the stage victories there will be a battle between Thibau Nys, winner of the Gp Indurain in his seasonal debut on the road, Marc Hirschi and Julian Alaphilippe of Tudor, Maxim Van Gils of Red Bull Bora, Ben Healy of Ef, Romain Gregoire of Groupama Fdj, Mauro Schmid of Jayco AlUla, Pablo Castrillo of Movistar and Clement Champoussin of Astana. The latter could also think about the general classification after his excellent performance at Paris-Nice.

Back to the route: after the time trial, we arrive in Lodosa for the only stage that is not particularly demanding. Following, in the third stage, seven mountain grand prix and the finish line in Beasain. Before the finish in Markina-Xemein, a very tough ramp in Izua with peaks of 20%. The last two stages, with the finish line in Gernika-Lumo and Eibar, where there will not be a single meter of flat land, will definitively define the classification.

Remember to field your Itzulia lineup!