2025 Itzulia Basque Country Stage 6 Live Coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of Stage 6 of the 2025 Itzulia Basque Country! Our live profile and commentary are below, followed by a preview of the technical aspects of the route.
Course Preview
The final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country features over 3,500 meters of climbing across a 153.6-kilometer route. There are seven KOM-worthy ascents, and the riders regularly encounter gradients well into double digits.
Just 14 kilometers in, the riders reach the Elkorrieta – 2.6 kilometers at 6.7% – only to be immediately thrust onto the slopes of the Azurki. That one’s a true beast: 5.1 kilometers long with an average gradient of 7.4%. However, that figure doesn’t convey the full picture – the middle section climbs to 10.9%, including a stretch at 16%.
The next challenge is even more demanding. The Krabelin climb is 5 kilometers long and averages 9.6%. The middle section is incredibly steep, with grades reaching up to 20%. In fact, the steepest 2.5 kilometers average a leg-melting 12.2%. By the time the riders reach the summit, they’ve not even covered 50 kilometers yet. A brutal start, to say the least…
To be fair, the hardest part of the stage is now behind them – though following a start like that, “easier” is undoubtedly relative. A descent takes the peloton to Markina before they confront the Trabakua: 3.3 kilometers at 7.1%. From the summit, it’s not a straight drop – two more short climbs come in quick succession after a brief descent. The first kicks up to 10.2% for 650 meters, while the second climbs 1.2 kilometers at 4.6%.
Riders aiming for the stage win should be particularly vigilant, as that exact combination – the Trabakua and those two short climbs – sets the stage for the final push later on.
The riders descend into Eibar and ascend the Karabieta on the opposite side of the valley – 6.6 kilometers long at an average of 6.7%. And for once, it’s actually quite steady all the way up.
Once back in the valley, the race returns towards Eibar on an almost 20-kilometer flat section. Then, the Izua climb begins – it’s already featured in stage 4 but approached from a different direction this time. This means 4.1 kilometers of difficulty at a 9.2% gradient.
After descending back into Markina, it’s time for the Trabakua again (3.3 kilometers at 7.1%), followed by the same two steep ramps mentioned earlier – 650 meters at 10.2% and 1.2 kilometers at 4.6%. From the summit, there are still 11 kilometers to go.
It starts with a fast descent, but just when you think it’s over, the riders encounter one final wall: 460 meters at 10.4%. From there, it’s a rolling drop leading to the final 2 flat kilometers to the line.
The first three riders across the finish line receive 10, 6, and 4 bonus seconds, while the intermediate sprints grant 3, 2, and 1 seconds.
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