- The second edition of Itzulia Women will cover 370.2 km.
- It will include a total of 3 stages
The official route for the Itzulia Women 2023 was presented today, 20 April. The presentation took place at the Eika facilities in Etxebarria, where the first stage will start. The 2nd edition of the race will include a total of 3 stages and cover a total of 370 kilometres.
Iñigo Arrieta, president of EIKA, Jesús Etxeberria, mayor of Etxebarria, Luis Egurrola, mayor of Markina-Xemein and Julian Eraso, president of OCETA presented the route of the Itzulia Women 2023 that will take place from 12 to 14 May. The route will cross Bizkaia, Alava and Gipuzkoa, in that order, finishing on the Boulevard de Donostia.
This edition will include 7 scoring mountain passes: one Category 1, two Category 2, and four Category 3.
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Roberto Laiseka, technical director of the Itzulia Women analyses each stage:
Stage 1 – ETXEBARRIA (EIKA) – MARKINA-XEMEIN 122.2 km
The first stage of contact with the Itzulia Women 2023. The start of the stage climbs steeply upwards with many ups and downs until kilometre 50. This is the start of the climb to the first pass of this year’s race. The Urkaregi pass and its descent will decide which riders get to fight for victory and the yellow jersey in Markina-Xemein.
Stage 2 – VITORIA/ GASTEIZ- AMURRIO 133.2 km
A relatively quiet start and a third-category pass to form a breakaway. Here the intermediate sprints and their bonuses will be important for the overall classification. The finish is not complicated but does include a steep climb and a descent 5 kilometres from the finish that could be used by a select group to reach the finish line.
Stage 3 – DONOSTIA- DONOSTIA 114.8 km
The stage that will decide everything. The route simulates the San Sebastian Classic with its ascent to Jaizkibel from Lezo and finishes with the climb up the Murgil wall to Mendizorrotz. The descent to Orio and the next few kilometres to San Sebastian will constitute an individual time trial to reach the finish line and decide the overall classification.
