Tour of Basque Country
| Tour of Basque country | |
|---|---|
| Local name: | Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco (Spanish), Euskal Herriko txirrindulari itzulia (Basque) |
| Region: | Basque Country |
| Date: | Early April |
| Type: | Stage Race |
| History | |
| First Edition: | 1924 |
| Number of Editions: | 45 |
| First Winner: | Francis Pelissier, (France) |
| Most Wins: | José Antonio Gonzalez Linares, (Spain), 4 times |
The Tour of Basque Country (Spanish: Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco, Basque: Euskal Herriko txirrindulari itzulia) is an annual cycling stage race held in Basque Country in April.
The first edition was held in 1924, but between 1935 and 1969 the race was not held. However between 1939 and 1945 similar races were organised.
The first winner was Francis Pelissier from France. The first winner of the 'modern' Tour of Basque country (1969) was Jacques Anquetil. The most successful rider in the Tour of Basque country was José Antonio Gonzalez Linares, who won the race four times in 1972, 1975, 1977 and 1978. The most recent edition (2005) was won by Danilo di Luca from Italy.
Because Basque Country is a mountainous area there are hardly any flat stages, and the event's winners therefore tend to be good climbers. Most climbs in the Tour of Basque Country are not high, but often they are quite steep.