2025 Itzulia Basque Country - Everything you need to know
2025 Itzulia Basque Country startlist
Race situation
João Almeida wins final stage and the overall
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the the final stage of Itzulia Basque Country 2025.
UAE Team Emirates' Joao Almeida enjoys a solid advantage heading into today's finale of the race, but this is the toughest stage of the week and we could see big GC differences made over the course of the next few hours.
Almeida has a 30 second advantage over early race leader Max Schachmann and a further 8 over Florian Lipowitz. Ilan van Wilder and Mattias Skjelmose are also less than a minute behind the Portuguese.
We're about ten minutes away from the neutralised start in Eibar.
So what about the parcours for today? The final stage has more climbing in it than any other this week. The riders will tackle a gruelling 3716 vertical metres over the 153.5 kilometres.
There are no less than eight categorised climbs on the route today, including the three first category ascents of the Azurki (5.1km at 7.4%), Krabelin (5km at 9.4%) and Izua (4.1km at 9%). You couldn't get a more classic Basque Country route if you tried. It's a proper shark tooth profile.
Yesterday's stage was dominated by one man. EF Education First-EasyPost's Ben Healy won with a 56.7km solo ride to beat the chasing peloton by almost two minutes. There were no real changes on GC.
Here's our full report from yesterday's stage.
Itzulia Basque Country: Ben Healy solos to victory on stage 5
Neutralised Start
The riders have rolled off into the neutral zone.
Here is a full run-down of the categorised climbs on the menu for today (although there are also a fair few uncategorised ascents too):
After 13.7km - Elkorrieta (2.5km, 6.2%)
24.4km - Azurki (5.1km, 7.4%)
47.5km - Krabelin (5km, 9.4%)
69.4km - Trabakua (3.3km, 6.8%)
88.7km - Karabieta (6.5km, 6.5%)
116km - Izua (4.1km,9%)
135.7km - Trabakua (3.3km, 6.8%)
Here's what leader Joao Almeida had to say before the start:
"I think it's a good place to be, starting the final day with the yellow jersey. We will do our best and see how it goes."
"It's my first Itzulia so everything is new for me. Usually the queen stage is the hardest stage so I'm prepared for the worst."
"I've been showing good legs. I been, I think, the strongest in the race. Of course so many things can happen and I need to stay focussed and give my best like always."
We're moments away from the official start of the race. Those looking to go into the breakaway will be eyeing up the Elkorrieta climb after 10km of racing to build an advantage.
153.4km to go
The riders are off for the final stage of Itzulia Basque Country 2025!
Almeida's most likely rival today looking at how each rider has climbed this week is Florian Lipowitz. Here's what he had to say before the race got underway:
"It will be a super hard day and a fight from the start. We will see how the legs are. It will be up to the legs who can win today and Almeida is really strong. The whole level of the bunch is super high and I think a lot of guys are fighting for the podium. I hope I have the legs to stay there and fight."
There's an early attack from Equip Kern Pharma's Diego Uriarte. He is solo with a ten second lead.
There are five kilometres to go to the first climb of the day
Uriarte's lead has grown to 20 seconds as Movistar's Michel Hessmann looks to jump across.
The big riders are looking to gain an advantage before the first climb. Jimmy Janssens joins Hessman in pursuit of the lone leading Spaniard
Five riders didn't take the start today. They are Louis Barré, Alexander Kamp, Tom Paquot, Luca van Boven (all Intermarché-Wanty) and Fabien Weiss (Tudor).
Uriarte is still out there alone as Hessmann and Janssens are caught by the peloton with a kilometre to go to the opening climb.
Elkorrieta (2.5km, 6.2%)
Uriarte is caught as the climbing begins.
This climb gets steeper as it goes. The final 500 metres are above 9%.
No successful moves yet on the opening climb. However, after a short and shallow descent, the riders bounce straight into the first category climb of Azurki. This is where the action could kick off.
Will anyone in the battle for the overall look to go early?
💛 Ready for one last battle at #Itzulia2025!#WeAreUAE pic.twitter.com/DoS2iLkKZeApril 12, 2025
Mountain Classification leader Bruno Amirail (Groupama-FDJ) attacked off the front of the peloton to claim maximum point on the Elkorrieta. He leads Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) in that competition by seven points.
Azurki (5.1km, 7.4%)
Climb number two for the day is already upon us. The peloton is still altogether.
The Azurki has a two-kilometre section in the middle that is above 10%. It's a tough climb.
Here is the peloton after the start in Eibar.
#Itzulia2025 🇪🇸El kilómetro 0️⃣, a vista de pájaro 🦅 pic.twitter.com/sCN2p7HSL7April 12, 2025
Here are the jersey wearers on the start-line earlier today
The attacks are flying now on the steepest section of the Azurki.
Ineos Grenadiers' Axel Laurance is in a move of 15 off the front. Bauke Mollema, Finlay Pickering and Bruno Amirail are also there. They have a slender advantage.
Laurance is just 3:41 down on GC, so it's possible that UAE will look to bring him back.
An early unsuccessful attack on the first climb of the day
This group is getting big now with more than 20 riders reported to be in there. They have a 30 second advantage.
There are 21 riders up the road and one chasing in between. Their advantage has grown to over a minute.
Davide de Pretto was the man in the middle, but he has now made it up to the front as well. Yesterday's stage winner Ben Healy is there too as is Jordan Jegat who sits in 16th overall.
Here's the full composition of the group which looks to have established itself over the peloton now:
Axel Laurance, Bauke Mollema, Finlay Pickering, Ion Izagirre, Sergio Samitier, Bruno Amirail, Callum Scotson, Dani Martinez, Pablo Castrillo, Gregor Mühlberger, Ben Healy, Jordan Jegat, Warren Barguil, Guillermo Martinez, Romain Grégoire, Txomin Juaristi, Louis Vervaeke, Unai Iribar, Davide de Pretto, Christopher Juul-Jensen, Sepp Kuss, Marc Hirschi.
Hugh Carthy is try to chase across, but is 45 seconds behind at the moment.
Vervaeke and De Pretto seem to have been dropped at the top of the climb.
The break are now descending the Azurki before a few kilometres of valley road takes them to the next climb.
Jegat is the best-placed rider from this break, but realistically he is no threat to Almeida.
What UAE Team Emirates may be worried about is the fact that Florian Lipowitz has a strong team-mate in there in the form of Dani Martinez. 5th-placed Mattias Skjelmose also has Bauke Mollema in the move to help him later on in the stage.
UAE Team Emirates are keeping things controlled at the front of the bunch as the lead grows slowly towards two minutes.
Guillermo Martinez, Jordan Jegat and Ben Healy push on up the Azurki climb to force the breakaway clear.
122km to go
The riders are on the bottom section of the descent now.
The leaders are now off the descent. There are 7 kilometres of flat valley road now before the Krabelin climb. The break's lead has edged over two minutes for the first time.
The break pushes on through the Basque countryside
Hugh Carthy was chasing to make it up to the leading group, but he has now been caught by the peloton.
Vervaeke and De Pretto seem to be heading for the same fate as Carthy. They are now more than a minute adrift from the leading group of 20.
Krabelin (5km, 9.4%)
Time for the third climb of the day, and the second first category ascent. The leaders have an advantage of 1:55.
Krabelin is a vicious climb, and a regular feature in this race. The third and fourth kilometres both rise above 12%. It's a good launching pad for any rider from the peloton who wants to kick on.
UAE are lifting the pace on this climb. The break's advantage is down to just over a minute.
110km to go
The riders are half way up Krabelin now and are on the steepest section.
The advantage for the leaders has stabilised now at 1:15. UAE don't want to bring this all the way back, but they do want to keep it under control.
Jordan Jegat and Sepp Kuss have broken away from the group on the steepest pitches of the climb.
Dani Martinez and Ben Healy bridge across to Jegat and Kuss and then move past them. They lead ahead of a group of three which also contains Callum Scotson.
So much action up front in this stage, and we're only a third of the way in.
The leaders are now 1:40 ahead of the peloton.
One thing is for certain: Ben Healy is on good form. After his long solo win yesterday, he looks like one of the strongest in the breakaway again today.
Marc Hirschi and Axel Laurance descending the Azurki earlier.
The leaders are about to crest over the top of the Krabelin.
Pablo Castrillo struggled to keep up with the group and he has been caught by the peloton.
Martínes and Healy still hold a small advantage over Scotson, Jegat and Kuss. A larger chasing group is around 20 seconds behind the leaders as they begin the descent.
It's a fairly long and shallow descent off the Krabelin. After that is around 8 kilometres of flat before the fourth climb of the day.
The Kuss group has now joined the leaders, making it five at the front.
Their advantage over the chasers is not significant, so it may come back together before the next climb.
Three more riders join the front of the race. They are Bruno Amirail and a pair of Basque riders: Ion Izagirre and Txomin Juaristi.
It all appears to be coming back together at the front of the race.
Leader of the King of the Mountains classification Bruno Amirail now leads solo on the descent.
100km to go
The gap to the lead is now 1:50
Ineos Grenadiers' Axel Laurance has been caught by the peloton.
🇪🇸 #Itzulia2025Vamos Dani! In the break on the final day 💥 pic.twitter.com/6ehQf7v6ThApril 12, 2025
The riders are on the approach to the fourth climb of the day, the Trabakua. This hill was used on the third stage of the 2023 Tour de France.
Amirail has around 10 seconds on the chasing group of seven. The rest of the breakaway is another 30 seconds behind.
The gap to the lead is now the largest it has been all day at 2:15.
Cofidis' Sergio Samitier has been dropped from the third group.
TotalEnergies' Jordan Jegat still stands to gain a lot if he can stay away from the peloton. He is virtually moving from 16th to 6th on GC at the moment.
Amirail now has a 35 second advantage over a group of 12 chasers which includes Healy, Jegat, Kuss and Mollema.
Trabakua (3.3km, 6.8%)
Amirail's lead over the peloton has grown to 2:30 at the bottom of Trabakua.
Trabakua is one of the easier climbs of the day. The riders will face it twice today. It will also be the final categorised test of the stage.
Amirial is growing his advantage over the chase. He is now 45 seconds ahead. This is his favoured terrain, though, the climbers in the group behind will look to close the gap on the hills to come.
The chase group are falling further behind the leading Frenchman. He now enjoys a lead of over a minute.
Amirail may not win the stage today, but he is certainly making sure that he will hold onto the KOM jersey at the end of this race.
Amirail has been solo for around 20km now
85km to go
The gap is holding steady halfway up the Trabakua.
Amirail's lead has grown to just under three minutes
The riders are now on the descent of the Trabakua. There are a couple of uncategorised climbs now which will also feature in the finale of the stage.
80km to go
In classic Basque fashion, these uncategorised climbs look tough
Almeida is being attentive in the peloton, sitting fifth-wheel in the peloton behind four team-mates.
Amarail is now descending through the town of Mallabia before taking on another uncategorised hill
The Frenchman is now 55 seconds ahead of the chase group which currently numbers 13.
Jegat, Healy and Martínez have attacked away from the chase group. All three have been very active already today.
It's Spaniard Igor Arrieta on the front of the peloton in support of leader João Almeida.
As one might expect, UAE Team Emirates have held the break to a small advantage for much of the stage.
Healy, Jegat and Martínez have quickly caught Amirail on that uncategorised rise. They closed the gap quickly to the Frenchman.
Jegat is now provisionally on the overall podium with the group's lead over the peloton sitting at 2:46.
The riders are on a shallow descent now approaching the fifth climb of today's seven.
A bit of a re-shuffling at the front now. The chasing group has caught the front four, but Kuss, Juaristi and Pickering have been dropped.
It's a group of 11 at the front now with a lead of 2:20.
Karabieta (6.5km, 6.5%)
The riders start the only category two climb of the day as the advantage of the lead group drops to two minutes.
70km to go
It's Brandon McNulty on the front of the peloton now as UAE begin to turn the screw.
The gap is falling on this climb. The leaders now have 1:45 as Guillermo Martinez works on the front of the group in support of Picnic-PostNL team-mate Warren Barguil.
After attacking each other for most of the stage so far, the lead group are now working well together.
There were in the lead group earlier, but Movistar's Pablo Castrillo and Gregor Mühlberger have abandoned the stage.
UAE looks very strong at the front of the peloton will almost their entire team still around Almeida. Just behind them are Soudal-QuickStep and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
2km to go on this climb at the gap to the front has dipped below 90 seconds.
It's tough out there. Seven more riders have withdrawn including Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor).
The rain has started to pour.
The breakaway is working well together
The rain is really pelting the riders now. This could have a big impact on the race with several technical descents till to come.
The leaders crest the Karabieta.
65km to go
The gap is down to 1:10 now as McNulty continues to push on in the chase.
The lead group are descending very gingerly down the other side of the Karabieta.
Next up after the descent is the longest gap between climbs of the whole stage with around 20km of valley road.
The rain has eased but the roads are now extremely damp.
Armirail won the points on top of the Karabieta and has made the KOM classification his own. As long as he finishes, he will be on the podium in Eibar.
Hirschi has taken more risks than others on the descent and now leads solo.
The riders are now off the descent and on flatter, drier roads.
The peloton took the descent cautiously and Hirschi's lead is now 1:48 over the peloton.
Hirschi may or may not have intended to get away from the group on that descent, but he is pushing on now. It's a 20-second lead for the Swiss rider over the chase group.
The riders will be pleased that this rain has now subsided.
Euria #Itzulia2025v-era heldu da ☔🎥 @eitbkirolak 🏆@bancosabadell#Itzulia2025 pic.twitter.com/icpW5Hi14SApril 12, 2025
A few riders have come back to the peloton during this lull in the action. It's now a group of around 60.
Bauke Mollema has been absorbed by the peloton. He was dropped on the wet descent.
Hirschi being reeled in by the group now. The leaders will be on the next categorised climb in 10 kilometres.
The next climb is Izua, which the peloton are re-visiting after it featured in the finale of stage four. That was the decisive climb of that stage, and perhaps the whole race. Almeida went solo there and won the day by 28 seconds.
Here's our full report from that day to jog your memory.
The leaders are approaching the first of two intermediate sprints of the stage. Their lead has dropped to 1:25.
Movistar have wrestled the lead away from UAE in the peloton. Enric Mas is sitting in 8th place overall and the Spanish team would like to see him move up the rankings.
It's a key point in the stage as the teams look to position their leaders ahead of the Izua climb.
The pace is rapid in the peloton and the lead has been cut to under a minute now. The lead group may not survive the next climb.
Jordan Jegat nipped off the front of the lead group to take three seconds in the intermediate sprint.
The riders are weaving through the narrow streets of Eibar now on the approach to the Izua. This could be the key climb of the race.
There is a crash for Ilan van Wilder and Maxim van Gils as the peloton go through town.
McNulty is still on the front up a steep ascent prior to the next climb.
Up front, Healy and Dani Martínez have gone clear.
Callum Scotson bridges over to the leaders, but just as he gets there Healy accelerates again.
Izua (4.1km, 9%)
The peloton is splitting as the climb starts. McNulty continues to drive on.
Schachmann also came down in the crash, but he and Van Wilder have now made it back to the peloton.
Skjelmose and Mas are just behind the UAE train at the moment, but Schachmann and Lipowitz have been distanced.
Lipowitz has had a problem and has taken a team-mate's bike. He is well behind now but has Vlasov with him to help to pace him back.
Riders from the lead group are being picked off by the peloton now.
Healy attacks Dani Martinez and now leads solo.
Healy has a minute over the bunch which is now being led by Felix Grossschartner.
The peloton is down to around 15 riders. Lipowitz is around 30 seconds behind the group.
João Almeida calls for pace from his Austrian team-mate and draws a smaller group clear with Enric Mas and Stef Cras present.
1km to the top of the climb for Healy, He still has 50 seconds.
Almeida pushes on himself now with Mas and Cras in the wheel. Marc Soler is a few metres behind and is hanging on to help his leader if he can.
As Almeida catches Martinez, the chase group is around 10 seconds behind with Skjelmose in pursuit.
It's impressive from Healy, this. Almeida is pouring it on behind but he isn't closing the gap on the Irishman.
Healy attacking Martinez to go solo for the second day running
Healy is over the climb now and is smashing down this descent. He is taking risks and threading beautifully through the corners.
Skjelmose has made it up to the Almeida group along with a team-mate and is letting rip on the descent.
The two riders on the podium with Almeida before this stage are both distanced; Lipowitz is now a minute behind the Almeida group. Skjelmose and Mas look as though they could take advantage.
30km to go
53 seconds now for Healy as he enters the final stages of this descent.
The Almeida chase group are closing in on Healy during this flatter section. The lead is now down to 40 seconds.
Almeida has team-mates Isaac del Toro and Marc Soler with him alongside Lidl-Trek's Skjelmose and Thibau Nys, Enric Mas and Jordan Jegat who has held on from the breakaway.
Healy cheered on by the Basque fans on the Izua climb
Healy's lead is down to 23 seconds now. It looks as though the EF rider won't be able to repeat his feat from yesterday
The chase group have Healy in their sights now as they approach the second ascent of Trabakua.
Trabakua (3.3km, 6.8%)
Healy has been caught now as the group begins the final categorised climb of the day
20km to go
Behind the leaders is now a group with Schachmann and Lipowitz. They appear to be making good progress in chasing the Almeida group.
Cofidis are working hard in that chasing group as Spanish champion Aleix Aranburu is in there. He has a very fast finish and could win his second stage of the week if they can close the gap
Almeida attacks on the Trabakua. Mas goes with the race leader with Skjelmose on the wheel.
Incredibly, it's Healy pacing the leaders pack.
The pace went out from the leading group of three and Healy has brought them back with Del Toro and Jegat on his wheel. It's now a leading group of six.
Guillaume Martin is trying to attack over to the leaders as Ilan van Wilder leads the chase group.
The rain is falling again as the riders move onto the descent of the Trabakua
As he did before, Skjelmose is lifting the pace on the wet descent. He crashes on a left turn and that could be his podium ambitions dashed.
The Dane was virtually in second place overall but he now has a mechanical issue after the fall. Aranburu attacks off the front of the chase group.
The leading group of five - Almeida, Del Toro, Mas, Healy, Jegat - is off the descent now and into this series of steep uncategorised kickers.
Mas is pushing on and Jegat is distanced. Del Toro is also going backwards.
What a ride from Healy. He is the only one who can stick with Mas and Almeida even after being up the road for the entire stage.
Aranburu has caught Martin behind, but the chasing group is not far behind, led by Van Wilder.
Del Toro is attempting to ease his way back to the trio up front as they hit another uncategorised climb.
Almeida on the attack
Mas isn't happy with his companions. He is putting in a lot of work to try to jump onto the podium and Healy isn't doing any work after his big day out.
10km to go
The leading trio are on the final proper descent of the stage. There are a couple of small hills left on the run into Eibar
Del Toro gets back to the leaders with Jegat, Aranburu and Martin behind. After that, it is a larger group containing Schachmann and Lipowitz just over a minute behind.
Currently, Enric Mas is set to jump up to fourth overall. He needs another 20 seconds or so to get himself onto the podium.
After his crash, Skjelmose was absorbed by the large chasing group. That means the riders in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th on GC are in that group.
5km to go
Every time the road goes upwards, Mas attacks. He has distanced Healy and Del Toro on a short, sharp slope heading into Eibar. Almeida is stuck to his wheel.
Aranburu, Martin and Jegat are together now 50 seconds behind the leaders.
The gap to the chase group is widening. As it stands, Mas is now second in GC.
Lots of standing water on the roads in these final kilometres
3km to go
Looks like the stage will be fought for between Almeida and Mas
Behind, Martin has crashed on the wet descent.
2km to go
Mas is still driving the pace on as he looks to secure his second place overall
There are going to be seconds in it between Mas and Schachmann for that second place
1km to go
Mas and Almeida prepare for the final sprint in Eibar
Almeida is stuck to Mas' wheel as they navigate the narrow, winding streets
Almeida moves to the front with 400 metres to go
The Portuguese opens his sprint with 250m to go
Mas can't come round the race leader and João Almeida seals the win on the final stage and the overall victory of Itzulia Basque Country 2025
Ben Healy comes across the line in third place, with Del Toro a few seconds behind
Aranburu and Jegat come across the line next, only a few seconds ahead of the chase group. Oscar Onley wins the sprint behind.
It was an extremely technical finish, especially with the ran pouring down. Almeida got his tactics right in the end, leading out the sprint from far out. Mas was unable to come round on the final straight.
In fact, Enric Mas has overcome Max Schachmann to take second place by seven seconds. Florian Lipowitz falls off the podium after his mechanical on the Izua climb.
Here are the results from stage six of the 2025 Itzulia Basque Country:
It's Almeida's third win on the road this year and his first stage race win this season. His team controlled the race throughout and he showed himself to be the strongest in the field today.
With Almeida rock solid in the lead, the biggest GC action came with a podium re-shuffle which was brought about by mis-fortune for Lipowitz and Schachmann and strong riding ahead by Mas.
Lipowitz's mechanical couldn't have been timed any worse as the race was kicking off on the key climb of the day. Schachmann was held up by a crash as the peloton went through Eibar and his team wasn't able to close the gap back to the Spaniard.
Team-mates Schachmann and Van Wilder discuss the day's events as they shield from the cold.
For Schachmann, it's a first WorldTour General Classifiacation podium since he won Paris-Nice in 2021
Here's our full report from stage 6 of Itzulia Basque Country 2025
Itzulia Basque Country: João Almeida crushes opposition to clinch second stage win and overall win
