2026 Itzulia Basque Country Stage 2 Live Coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of Stage 2 of the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country! Our live profile and commentary are below, followed by a preview of the technical aspects of the route.
Course Preview
The 2nd stage of the Tour of the Basque Country covers 164.1 kilometres from Pamplona to the Caves of Mendukilo. With 19.5 kilometres to go, they crest a 9.5-kilometre climb at 7.7%, before descending towards a rolling finishing climb of 3.5 kilometres. The route totals an elevation gain of 3,268 metres.
In 2017, the Tour of the Basque Country last visited Pamplona. On that occasion, the first two stages started in the city of Miguel Indurain. Both were almost entirely flat, producing stage wins for two Michaels: Matthews and Albasini.
This time, the riders head to the Cuevas de Mendukilo in the Sierra de Aralar, located 1.5 kilometres outside the hamlet of Astitz at an altitude of 750 metres above sea level. The chances of a sprinter taking the win are virtually nonexistent.
Once the flag drops, the riders tackle a 70-kilometre loop to the Monasterio de Zamartze, climbing three hills along the way. The first rises 6.7 kilometres at an average of 6.5%, the second 6.2 kilometres at 4.3%, and the third 4.1 kilometres at 5.1%. Only the first of the trio is officially categorised — why. is anyone's guess, as later in the day there are easier climbs that do carry a classification.
On their first pass by the Monasterio de Zamartze, the riders enter a circuit, which opens with the Zuarrarrate climb: 7.2 kilometres at 4.8%. On the descent, they pass through the hamlet of Astitz, but rather than taking a shortcut, they continue downhill to the intermediate sprint in Lekunberri. Then comes the 4.7 kilometres climb at 3.7% to Aldatz. There are 62.5 kilometres remaining while passing through the village.
A descent and rolling section bring the riders back to the Monasterio de Zamartze. They immediately turn right onto the climb to the Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar — a tough test averaging 7.7% over 9.5 kilometres. From the top, the riders descend for 16 kilometres before tackling a final 3.5-kilometre rise to the finish. The opening part of this stretch is nothing special, but the last kilometre averages 8%.
The first three riders across the line gain 10, 6, and 4 bonus seconds, while the intermediate sprints offer 6, 4, and 2 seconds.
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