Tour of the Basque Country
 2015 Tour of the Basque Country | |
 | |
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | Early-April |
| Region | Spanish Basque Country |
| English name | Tour of the Basque Country |
| Local name(s) |
|
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI World Tour |
| Type | Stage race |
| History | |
| First edition | 1924 |
| Editions | 55 (as of 2015) |
| First winner |
 Francis Pélissier (FRA) |
| Most wins |
.svg.png){kind=small} José Antonio González (ESP) (4 wins) |
| Most recent |
 Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) |
The Tour of the Basque Country (Spanish: Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco, Basque: Euskal Herriko Itzulia) is an annual cycling stage race held in the Spanish Basque Country in April.
History
The race was first held in 1924. Between 1935 and 1969 the race was not officially staged, though similar races were organised from 1939 to 1969. The race is mentioned and described in Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises. It is one of 24 races that make up the UCI World Ranking calendar.
The first winner of the Tour of the Basque Country was Francis Pélissier from France, while the first winner of the 'modern' Tour (1969) was Jacques Anquetil, also of France. The most successful rider in the history of the Tour is José Antonio González Linares of Spain, who won the race four times in 1972, 1975, 1977 and 1978. The most recent edition (2015) was won by Spain's Joaquim Rodríguez, his first win in the race.
Because the Basque Country is a mountainous area, there are few flat stages, and thus the event favors those who are strong climbers. Most ascents in the Tour are not particularly high by professional cycling standards, but are often quite steep.
Winners
| Rider | Team | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | |
Pelissier, FrancisFrancis Pélissier (FRA) | ||
| 1925 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
Verdyck, AugusteAuguste Verdyck (BEL) | ||
| 1926 |  |
Frantz, NicolasNicolas Frantz (LUX) | ||
| 1927 | |
Fontan, VictorVictor Fontan (FRA) | ||
| 1928 | |
De Waele, MauriceMaurice De Waele (BEL) | ||
| 1929 | |
De Waele, MauriceMaurice De Waele (BEL) | ||
| 1930 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
Canardo, MarianoMariano Cañardo (ESP) | ||
| 1931– 1934 |
No race | |||
| 1935 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
Bartali, GinoGino Bartali (ITA) | ||
| 1936– 1968 |
No race | |||
| 1969 | |
Anquetil, JacquesJacques Anquetil (FRA) | ||
| 1970 | |
Santamarina, Luis PedroLuis Pedro Santamarina (ESP) | ||
| 1971 | |
Ocana, LuisLuis Ocaña (ESP) | ||
| 1972 | |
Gonzalez, Jose AntonioJosé Antonio González (ESP) | ||
| 1973 | |
Ocana, LuisLuis Ocaña (ESP) | ||
| 1974 | |
Lasa, Miguel MaríaMiguel María Lasa (ESP) | ||
| 1975 | |
Gonzalez, Jose AntonioJosé Antonio González (ESP) | ||
| 1976 |  |
Baronchelli, GianbattistaGianbattista Baronchelli (ITA) | ||
| 1977 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
Gonzalez, Jose AntonioJosé Antonio González (ESP) | ||
| 1978 | |
Gonzalez, Jose AntonioJosé Antonio González (ESP) | ||
| 1979 | |
Battaglin, GiovanniGiovanni Battaglin (ITA) | ||
| 1980 | |
Fernandez, AlbertoAlberto Fernández (ESP) | ||
| 1981 | |
Contini, SilvanoSilvano Contini (ITA) | ||
| 1982 | |
Laguia, Jose LuisJosé Luis Laguía (ESP) | ||
| 1983 | |
Gorospe, JuliánJulián Gorospe (ESP) | ||
| 1984 |  |
Kelly, SeanSean Kelly (IRL) | ||
| 1985 | |
Ruiz Cabestany, PelloPello Ruiz Cabestany (ESP) | ||
| 1986 | |
Kelly, SeanSean Kelly (IRL) | ||
| 1987 | |
Kelly, SeanSean Kelly (IRL) | ||
| 1988 |  |
Breukink, ErikErik Breukink (NED) | ||
| 1989 | |
Roche, StephenStephen Roche (IRL) | ||
| 1990 | |
Gorospe, JuliánJulián Gorospe (ESP) | ||
| 1991 | |
Chiappucci, ClaudioClaudio Chiappucci (ITA) | ||
| 1992 |  |
Rominger, TonyTony Rominger (SUI) | ||
| 1993 | |
Rominger, TonyTony Rominger (SUI) | ||
| 1994 | |
Rominger, TonyTony Rominger (SUI) | Mapei-CLAS | |
| 1995 | |
Zulle, AlexAlex Zülle (SUI) | ONCE | |
| 1996 | |
Casagrande, FrancescoFrancesco Casagrande (ITA) | Saeco-AS Juvenes San Marino | |
| 1997 | |
Zulle, AlexAlex Zülle (SUI) | ONCE | |
| 1998 | |
Cuesta, InigoÍñigo Cuesta (ESP) | ONCE | |
| 1999 | |
Jalabert, LaurentLaurent Jalabert (FRA) | ONCE-Deutsche Bank | |
| 2000 |  |
Kloden, AndreasAndreas Klöden (GER) | Team Telekom | |
| 2001 |  |
Rumsas, RaimondasRaimondas Rumšas (LTU) | Fassa Bortolo | |
| 2002 | |
Osa, AitorAitor Osa (ESP) | iBanesto.com | |
| 2003 | |
Mayo, IbanIban Mayo (ESP) | Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
| 2004 |  |
Menchov, DenisDenis Menchov (RUS) | Illes Balears-Banesto | |
| 2005 | |
Di Luca, DaniloDanilo Di Luca (ITA) | Liquigas-Bianchi | |
| 2006 | |
Gomez Merchante, Jose AngelJosé Ángel Gómez Marchante (ESP) | Saunier Duval-Prodir | |
| 2007 | |
Cobo, Juan JoseJuan José Cobo (ESP) | Saunier Duval-Prodir | |
| 2008 | |
Contador, AlbertoAlberto Contador (ESP) | Astana | |
| 2009 | |
Contador, AlbertoAlberto Contador (ESP) | Astana | |
| 2010 |  |
Horner, ChrisChris Horner (USA) | Team RadioShack | |
| 2011 | |
Klöden, AndreasAndreas Klöden (GER) | Team RadioShack | |
| 2012 | |
Sánchez, SamuelSamuel Sánchez (ESP) | Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
| 2013 |  |
Quintana, NairoNairo Quintana (COL) | Movistar Team | |
| 2014 | |
Contador, AlbertoAlberto Contador (ESP) | Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 2015 | |
Rodríguez, JoaquimJoaquim Rodríguez (ESP) | Team Katusha | |
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vuelta al País Vasco. |
- Official website (Spanish)
- Palmares at Cycling Archives
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