Straight from the gun the route goes uphill. The San Miguel climb is 4.9 kilometres at 6.7%. The ensuing descent leads to the calm before the storm, as two climbs appear in rapid succession. The Kalbario is 2.2 kilometres at 8% with the second part building up to 10%. Shortly, the Elkorrieta appears – 2.6 kilometres at 6.7% – and the riders reach its crest at kilometre 45.
Hardly any time for a breather. Following a short descent the ‘Itzulia Basque Country’ serves the Azurki, which is an irregular toil with ramps up to 16%. The average gradient of the 6.4 kilometres climb sits at 6.8%, while the middle section slopes at 11%.
The riders have passed the halfway mark. The relentless succession of trying vertical sectors will have had its impact when the Karakate looms. Yet another insane slope. The climb is 5.2 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 8.5%, but that’s a biased statistic. In the last 2 kilometres the riders constantly struggle up double digits ramps before the skyward incline levels out a few hundred metres before the top.
The last climb of the Tour of the Basque Country is the Asensio. The average gradient of the 7.3 kilometres slope sits at 5.1% , but again, this is a biased statistic. A 1 kilometre section at almost 10% leads to 300 metres at 4.3% before the summit is crested. The ensuing descent flies down to the line in Eibar.
Another interesting read: results 6th stage 2019 Tour of the Basque Country.
Tour of the Basque Country 2019 stage 6: route, profile, more
Click on the images to zoom
