Tour of the Basque Country 2015: Favourites
The 2015 Tour of the Basque Country opens in Bilbao and as always the race is tailor-made for climbers to shine. Quintana and Mollema, one and two in the recent Tirreno, and world champion are amongst the main contenders. But so are Pinot, Van Garderen and Rui Costa. Cyclingstage.com brings the favourites to win the race in climber's paradise.
Nairo Quintana
Winner in the Basque Country in 2013, everything he does this year is focussed on winning the Tour de France next July. An outstanding performance in the Tirreno-Adriatico was part of his preparation and cold war-fare at the same time. The Colombian outclassed both Contador and Nibali on the final climb of the Queen Stage.
Bauke Mollema
The only rider able to react to Quintana’s attack in the Tirreno. Mollema finished second in the Queen Stage an was 0’18” down on the victor at the end of the week. The Dutchman swapped teams and is not at Trek, a good move so it seems. In the Basque Country he is backed-up by Schleck and Arredondo.
Michal Kwiatkowski
Last year, the world champion was second in the Basque Country, bested only by Alberto Contador. Kwiatkowski was runner-up in Paris-Nice, a race won by Richie Porte, and while he races in Northern Spain in preparation for the Ardennes classics, he surely won’t mind winning.
Tejay van Garderen
After finishing fifth in the 2014 Tour de France, 2015 is an important year for the 26-year-old American. With Evans retired, Van Garderen is the undisputed leader at BMC. Last month, he underperformed in Paris-Nice, but in February he was strong in the Tour of Oman. The same in recent Volta a Catalunya, where he took the Queen Stage.
Thibaut Pinot
The Frenchman started the season well with fourth place in the Tirreno-Adriatico. Still only 24 years of age and already a podium in last year’s Tour de France. A great future ahead of him, of course Pinot’s big goal is to one day step up to the highest place on Paris’ most precious podium.
Rui Costa
The former world champion raced Paris-Nice and went on to finish fourth in the overall. Good climber, yet the high mountains are not his cup of tea. Instead, the numerous short climbs in the Basque Country suit him well.
Tour of the Basque Country Route
Tour of the Basque Country Riders
Watch the highlights of recent races here:
Related articles Dumoulin wins stage, Purito takes overall - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Landa wins after super-steep finale - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Rodríguez again, Henao still leader - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Purito bests Henao and Quintana, Henao new leader - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Fabio Felline outsprints Michael Matthews - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Matthews takes stage 1 and GC-lead - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 1: Bilbao - Bilbao - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 2: Bilbao – Vitoria-Gasteiz - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 3: Vitoria-Gasteiz – Zumarraga - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 4: Zumarraga – Arrate (Eibar) - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 5: Eibar - Aia - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 6: ITT Aia - Aia - Tour of the Basque Country 2015 More articles Giro 2025: Groves wins in Naples, Pedersen still in pink
Giro 2025 Route stage 6: Potenza - Naples
Giro 2025 Route stage 7: Castel di Sangro - Tagliacozzo
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 7: First mountain top finish
Giro 2025: Withdrawals
Giro 2025: The Route
Giro 2025: Riders
Giro 2025: GC Favourites
Giro 2025 Route stage 8: Giulianova – Castelraimondo
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 8: Attackers in the Apennines
Giro 2025 Route stage 9: Gubbio - Siena
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 9: Strade Bianche alla Giro
Giro 2025 Route stage 10: Lucca – Pisa
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 10: For pure time trialists
Giro 2025 Route stage 11: Viareggio – Castelnovo ne’ Mont
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 11: Attackers in promising finale
Giro 2025 Route stage 12: Modena – Viadana
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 12: For fast men #3
Giro 2025 Route stage 13: Rovigo - Monte Berico
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 13: Puncheurs at Monte Berico
Giro 2025 Route stage 14: Treviso – Nova Gorica
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 14: For fast men #4
Cycling Calendar 2025
Tour de France 2025: The Route
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 1: Lille - Lille
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 2: Lauwin-Planque - Boulogne-sur-Mer
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 3: Valenciennes - Dunkirk
Vuelta Femenina 2025 Route stage 6: Becerril de Campos - Baltanás