2022 Itzulia Basque Country Race Preview
The details of this year's 2022 Itzulia Basque Country are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The Basque Country plays host to one of cycling's most punishing and unpredictable stage races as the Itzulia returns for its 2022 edition. Nestled in the rugged hills and dramatic coastlines of northern Spain, this race has long been regarded as a genuine test of the complete stage racer, demanding climbers who can also handle technical descents, time trialists who can survive relentless back-to-back mountain stages, and riders tough enough to cope with whatever the notoriously changeable Basque weather decides to throw at them.
The 2022 edition runs from April 4 to 9, offering six days of racing that will serve as a crucial indicator of form heading into the spring classics finale and the early preparations for the grand tours. The route features the kind of short, sharp climbs and explosive finishes that have always defined racing in this part of Spain, where the crowds are passionate, the roads are narrow, and the margins between success and failure are razor thin.
Primoz Roglic arrives as the headline act and arguably the most complete rider in the field. The Jumbo-Visma leader has demonstrated a deep affinity with this race and this terrain, and his ability to time trial at an elite level while also matching the pure climbers on the steepest gradients makes him the man to beat. His team is strong enough to control racing and set him up perfectly for the closing kilometers of the most decisive stages.
Tadej Pogacar, his great rival and the reigning Tour de France champion, will be looking to use this race as part of his preparation for the classics and potentially the Giro d'Italia. The UAE Team Emirates leader is in brilliant form and showed at Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico that he is already operating at an extraordinary level. His attacking instincts and sheer climbing power make him a constant threat on any terrain, and he will be looking to put time into his rivals wherever possible rather than simply following wheels.
Adam Yates brings serious Basque Country credentials to the start line and will be motivated to challenge for overall honors. His brother Simon has also been in strong form and the pair could prove a handful for any team trying to mark the duo simultaneously. Ineos Grenadiers will look to use their depth wisely across the six stages.
Aleksandr Vlasov has been one of the revelations of the early 2022 season and will start among the favorites after showing his ability to compete with the very best climbers on steep, punchy terrain. Bora-Hansgrohe will be keen to build on a positive spring campaign and the young Russian has the profile to make an impact here.
The time trial on stage five will be a critical moment in the overall battle, splitting the field between those with the power and technical ability to excel against the clock and those who may find themselves losing crucial seconds to the most complete riders. Roglic in particular will be licking his lips at the prospect of a stage that suits his particular skill set.
Weather will almost certainly play its role. The Basque Country in early April can offer sunshine and mild temperatures one day and driving rain, low cloud, and biting cold the next. Descending at speed on wet roads in these mountains demands both courage and technical precision, and races have been won and lost on the most treacherous of days in this corner of Spain.
Expect attacks from the opening stages as riders look to test each other out and establish early advantages. The race has a way of producing dramatic and unpredictable racing, with the crowds lining every road and pushing riders to their absolute limits. It is a race that rewards aggression, tactical intelligence, and genuine climbing ability in equal measure, and with a field of this quality, the 2022 edition promises to be as compelling as any in recent memory.
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