Tour of the Basque Country 2015: The Route

The 2015 Tour of the Basque Country totals 848.9 kilometres in 6 stages. Without an exception these are all hilly, to say the least. Cyclingstage.com brings you the full route of one of the mountainous stage races on the cycling calendar. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 1 leads from Bilbao to Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country, and offers three climbs. For Basque concepts a calm opening.

In stage 2 the riders head to the second city of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz. Six climbs on offer this time, the last is crested with 9 kilometres left. The following day the legs- testing will be intensified in stage 3, taking the riders over eight categorized peaks and three uncategorized ones.

So the pressure is on and it stays like that for the rest of the week. Stage 4 heads for the holy place of Arrate and to get there riders are to crest seven categorized tops. The closing to Arrate is 7.5 kilometres at 5.3%. Once atop there are 2.2 kilometres left.

Stage 5 is marked by the Alto the Aia, a hill that is to be crested twice. The race totals eight categorized climbs and the worst is saved for last. After the second climb up Alto de Aia the deep finale offers the super-steep Muro de Aia – a 1.36 kilometres ascent at 14.4% with a steepest section of 28%. Top-finish!

The climbing time trial closing The Tour of the Basque Country 2015 brings a haunting déjà vu since the Muro di Aia is on the menu again. Stage 6 totals 18.3 kilometres with the 1.36 kilometres up the dreaded Muro by far the cruellest.