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The cyclotourist event maintains its format and reinforces its position on the calendar
The Itzulia Basque Challenge presented its fourth edition today, March 25th, in Bergara, at an official event where the main details of the race were revealed.
The event will follow the route of the sixth stage of the 2026 Itzulia, with the major change of location compared to previous editions. The event maintains a good number of registered participants and continues its consolidation within the cyclotourist calendar.
The event will take place during the weekend of the Itzulia’s final stage, allowing amateur cyclists to ride the same routes as the professional cyclists. The organizers will again offer two options adapted to different levels.
The World Tour route will cover 133.8 kilometers and feature more than 3,000 meters of elevation gain. Meanwhile, the Medio Fondo (Half-Distance) will offer an alternative route of 70.2 kilometers and more than 1,650 meters of elevation gain.
The event was attended by Gorka Artola, Mayor of Bergara; Azahara Domínguez, Deputy for Mobility, Tourism, and Territorial Planning of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council; and Javier Riaño, the race director.
From the institutional perspective, the role of the event as a tool for promoting the region, boosting tourism, and encouraging sports was highlighted.
Gorka Artola, Mayor of Bergara, emphasized that “it is a pleasure to officially present the fourth edition of the Itzulia Basque Challenge in our town. Furthermore, this year is special because, for the first time, it is being held outside of Eibar, and Bergara will have the honor of hosting both the start and finish of this year’s edition.”
“Now in its fourth edition, the Itzulia Basque Challenge is already a well-established initiative. This year, the change of location also gives us a great opportunity for other towns to embrace this project, and it’s a pleasure that Bergara has been chosen. Even with the change of venue, the challenge is clear: to replicate here all the infrastructure, the level of organization, and the special atmosphere that has been created in previous years. Our town and local stakeholders will work hard to ensure that participants benefit from the experience of the Itzulia’s professional cyclists.”
For her part, the Deputy for Mobility, Tourism, and Territorial Planning, Azahara Domínguez, highlighted that “Sunday the 12th is a great opportunity for amateur athletes to experience firsthand how things are done in Gipuzkoa, after the wonderful showcase that is the Itzulia Basque Cycling Tour: our organizational capacity, the welcome we offer to our visitors, the seriousness with which we approach the projects we believe in, and the deep pride we show for our territory in everything we do are hallmarks that we want our visitors to know.” She also emphasized that the Itzulia Basque Challenge “helps promote sustainable and responsible tourism that cares for our territory, promotes healthy lifestyles, takes place off the beaten tourist track and away from peak tourist seasons, and therefore generates a very positive economic impact on the region.”
The organizers have highlighted the “progressive growth of the event and the positive response from participants in previous editions, maintaining their objective of offering an experience similar to that of professional cycling.”
For this fourth edition, resources allocated to safety along the route will be reinforced. Aid stations will be adapted to the new routes, while maintaining the number of support points planned for participants.
Registration will close in the coming days, once the limit set by the organizers has been reached. You can register through this link.
