Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 3: Vitoria-Gasteiz

Tour of the Basque Country 2015 Route stage 3: Vitoria-Gasteiz – Zumarraga

Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - Like most stages in the Tour of the Basque Country the 170.7 kilometres ride leading from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Zumarraga is mountainous, to say the least. No flat metre in sight, stage 3 leads the riders over eight categorized passes and three non-categorized hills.

Vitoria-Gasteiz is cycling crazy and the citizens can eat their heart out in 2015. Both arrival-town and departure-town in the Tour of the Basque Country, while next September Vuelta-stage 14 leaves from Vitoria-Gasteiz. Like today, that race is a climber’s dream probably decisive for the overall.

Starting at and elevation of 540 metres the road rises without delay and with 16 kilometres done Alto de Azazeta is crested, located at 887 metres. Next are two 1st category climbs – Alto de Iturrieta and Alto de Urbasa. Then we are 62 kilometres adrift.

After a relatively tranquil interval and an ungecategorized climb the riders arrive at kilometre 107 at the Alto de Urkillaga. After yet another uncategorized climb the last 40 kilometres offer five ascents, with one being uncategorized.

Cresting Alto de Gabiria riders are on a local circuit with in rapid succession the Alto de la Antigua, Alto de Atagoiti and again Alto de la Antigua. So that’s twice the Antigua, the last time with only 3 kilometres left. The climb is 2.5 kilometres at 9.6%, with the last 800 metres going up by a grade of 16%.

In 2011, the Tour of the Basque Country was to finish in Zumarraga after exactly the same finale. At the closing climb Joaquim Rodríguez attacked with the likes of Samuel Sánchez, Andreas Klöden and Chris Horner. Purito took the win.

Click here to read race results and race report of the 2015 edition.