2024 Itzulia Basque Country Race Preview
The details of this year's 2024 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 demanding stage races, a event that has firmly established itself as one of the sport's great tests of climbing ability and tactical acumen. The 2024 edition promises to deliver the same breathtaking racing across the rugged terrain of northern Spain that has made this race such a beloved fixture on the WorldTour calendar.
The parcours this year is characteristically brutal, featuring the kind of steep, punchy climbs that define Basque cycling culture. The race will unfold over six stages, with the final day traditionally offering a summit finish that tends to shake up the general classification in dramatic fashion. The roads around Eibar, Bilbao, and the surrounding hills have a way of reducing even the most well-prepared climbers to their absolute limits, and 2024 should be no different.
Primoz Roglic arrives as the man to beat. The Slovenian has an almost supernatural affinity for this race and this region, having won the event previously and consistently performed at his very best on these roads. Now riding for BORA-hansgrohe, he will be highly motivated to demonstrate his form ahead of the spring classics season and the grand tours to come. His punching power on short, explosive climbs suits the terrain perfectly.
Remco Evenepoel will represent one of the most significant challenges. The Belgian world champion has been building toward this kind of race all spring, and his time trialing ability combined with his climbing strength makes him genuinely dangerous across multiple stages. His Soudal Quick-Step team will look to control proceedings wherever possible.
Jonas Vingegaard, racing on home roads in a spiritual sense given his love for this terrain, brings the pedigree of a two-time Tour de France champion to the startline. The Visma Lease a Bike leader has shown excellent early season form and will be eager to put down a marker against Roglic and Evenepoel before the summer arrives.
Carlos Rodriguez of INEOS Grenadiers deserves serious consideration. The young Spaniard has matured significantly and racing in Spain often brings out additional motivation in domestic talents. His climbing ability is undeniable and he could well challenge for the overall victory if he stays out of trouble through the opening stages.
Mikel Landa, another rider with deep roots in Basque cycling, will draw enormous local support. His career has been defined by near misses at the highest level but he remains a genuine threat on terrain this steep and technical. The Soudal Quick-Step rider knows every corner of these roads.
The race also provides an early opportunity for puncheurs who might not threaten the overall classification but could take individual stage wins. Names like Aleksandr Vlasov, David Gaudu, and Ion Izagirre will be eyeing opportunities on stages that suit their particular strengths.
Weather in the Basque Country in late March and early April can be profoundly unpredictable. Rain, mist, and cold temperatures frequently add an extra layer of challenge to the racing, and the technical descents become genuinely treacherous in wet conditions. This unpredictability has a way of reshaping races and creating unexpected heroes.
Ultimately this promises to be a fascinating early season examination of the men who will define the 2024 grand tour season. The general classification battle between Roglic, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard alone makes this one of the most anticipated races of the spring, and the Basque hills will ensure nothing is resolved without a serious fight.
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