- Zumarraga to host the official start of the 2025 Itzulia Women
- Nineteen teams, including fourteen WorldTour squads, will compete for the txapela
- New designs for the Itzulia Women winners’ jerseys presented.
The official presentation of the Itzulia Women 2025 took place today at the San Sebastian Town Hall. The event was attended by Eneko Goia, Mayor of San Sebastián; Iñaki Gabarain, Councillor for Sports of San Sebastián; Ibone Bengoetxea, First Vice-Chancellor of the Basque Government; Goizane Álvarez, Deputy for Sports of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa; Joseba Urkiola, Sports Director at EITB; and Javier Riaño, President of OCETA, among others.
It will be the most mountainous edition, with 10 mountain passes: One Category 1, two Category 3, and six Category 3.
Stage 1. Zumarraga – Agurain 148.5 km
This year, the first stage of the Itzulia Women 2025 is the longest and features the highest cumulative elevation gain. Despite having just 3 scoring passes, it includes plenty of climbs and descents. It looks set to be a favourable day for an early breakaway. The last kilometres following the Azazeta Pass will be fast-paced right through to the finish.
Stage 2. Ugao-Miraballes – Igorre 116.0 km
This is likely to be the most intense stage of the year. Only 116 kilometres in length, yet it includes four scoring mountain passes and a fragmented final stretch. The two bonus sprints are sure to play an important role in the battle for the general classification.
Stage 3 – DONOSTIA- DONOSTIA 112.6 km
The most decisive stage of the race. The route mirrors the San Sebastián Classic, featuring the ascent of Jaizkibel from Lezo and finishing with the climb to Mendizorrotz from Orio. The descent into Donostia, followed by the remaining kilometres to San Sebastián, will serve as an individual time trial, with riders battling for general classification victory.
Javier Riaño, took the opportunity to express his gratitude, stating, “We want to thank all the town councils, institutions, sponsors, and supporters of the race for their invaluable help in making this event possible. The race may be young, but it has a bright future and is growing rapidly. We hope to be able to continue gaining support for this great race and consolidate its position as a major event on the calendar”.
Representing Transportes Echemar, Ibon Barbería, Director of Communications, stated at the presentation, “The Itzulia Women is much more than just a race. It is an international platform that highlights elite female athletes, promotes values of equality, and connects us with our heritage. For Echemar, it is a way of supporting the present and future of women’s cycling, while also contributing to the sustainable development of high-level sporting events within our region. With our logistical expertise, we will ensure that each stage is equipped with the necessary resources to guarantee the competition runs smoothly, safely, and with the utmost respect for the environment”.
Joseba Urkiola, Sports Director of EITB, “we are facing one of the most important dates of the year and we are very happy to take on the challenge. As we have enjoyed in previous years, this is our intention this year as well. Top-class cycling accompanied by top-class technology.
We will be broadcasting the race live every day from 12 noon on ETB1 and eitb.eus. We will also be following it extensively on Eukadi Irratia and Radio Euskadi.
We consider cycling to be our strategic sport and, as always, our goal will be to provide what we have. With extensive coverage on all news channels and live, of course.
Starting in Zumarraga and ending in Donostia. In our opinion, three exciting days are coming”.
Roberto Ramajo, the Provincial Director for Sports of Gipuzkoa, remarked at the event, “The Itzulia Women has quickly become a key international cycling event and a benchmark for women’s sport. Gipuzkoa is proud to host this competition, which calls for equality, talent, and dedication. Each edition of the Itzulia Women brings us closer to a fairer and more inclusive sporting world. Our full support goes to the riders”.
Ibone Bengoetxea, the First Vice-President of the Basque Government, emphasised that “Euskadi, its cycling teams, and its fans are an integral part of our identity as a Basque society: The fact that the Basque Country hosts a sporting event like the Itzulia, for both women and men, at the highest level in cycling, opens a door for us to Europe and the world. It places Euskadi on the global map. We are brand ‘Euskadi – Basque Country’. A brand that represents us and reaches out to the world, showcasing our approach to life, our passion for sport, and our values as a society. And the Itzulia is an integral part of that brand”.
Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of the Basque Government affirmed that the Government’s commitment to elite women’s sport is steadfast: “We will continue to support elite sportswomen, along with all the organisations committed to and working on initiatives in their favour. This is a shared responsibility”.
Dressing the champions
Gobik will once again dress the winners of the Itzulia Women. The 2025 edition features four jerseys: the yellow jersey for the winner, sponsored by Basotik Fundazioa; the mountain jersey, sponsored by Urbycolan; the consistency jersey, sponsored by the Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa; and the best young rider jersey, sponsored by Euskadi Basque Country.
Three stages of the world’s best cycling
The Itzulia Women 2025 will take place from 16 to 18 May, spanning three stages between Zumarraga and Donostia-San Sebastián. The third edition of the race will visit the towns of Zumarraga, Agurain, Ugao-Miraballes, Igorre, and Donostia-San Sebastián, covering a total of 377 kilometres.
