The route for the fifth edition of Itzulia Women was presented in Zarautz on April 22, with the Women's WorldTour peloton set to face three days of challenging racing in the Basque Country between May 15-17.
The trio of stages are focussed in the north of the region, starting in Zarautz and running for 372.4km before concluding in Donostia (San Sebastián).
14 major climbs fill the route, with the toughest day coming on stage 3, which begins and ends in the capital of Gipuzkoa. The race will feature a total of 1,729 metres of climbing, with each day set to provoke aggressive racing in the hills of the Basque Country.
Stage 1: Zarautz - Zarautz, 121.3km
The opening stage of the race starts and finishes in the town of Zarautz, which hosts a stage of the women's race for the first time.
There will be little respite from climbing and descending on the day, with six major climbs and 2,239 metres of elevation filling the 121.3km route, and the GC action is expected to begin right away.
Third-category climbs, including Kalbario (2.2km at 8%), Alkarate (4.2km at 7.3%), and Etumeta (4.5km at 7.5%), will pose major challenges, as will the day's only second-category test, Santa Ageda (8km at 6.8%).
The stage finishes with a flat run to the line following a descent off the sixth and final hill of the day, Garate (4.6km at 4.7%).
Stage 2: Abadiño - Amorebieta-Etxano, 131.7km
Stage 2 brings with it another five classified climbs and the most climbing of the race at 2,474 metres. The 131.7km stage runs from Abadiño to Amorebieta-Etxano with a cluster of three climbs early in the day.
Natxitua (2.5km at 8%) is the sharpest of the trio, but it lies a long way from the finish at just 43.1km into the stage. Instead, the final two climbs of the day should have more impact on the final result.
San Pelaio (5.6km at 4.4%) lies 47.2km from the line, while the final classified climb of the stage is Aretxabalgane (4.6km at 5.4%) comes 16.1km out. There's a further sting in the tail later on, too, with an unclassified hill lying in the dying kilometres.
Stage 3: Donostia - Donostia, 113.1km
Donostia, capital of Gipuzkoa, one of the eight constituent provinces of the Basque Country, hosts both the start and finish of the final stage of the race, as it has with every edition to date.
A trio of climbs lie in wait on this closing day, with 1,729 metres of elevation in the shortest stage of the race at 113.1km. The stage is similar to the finale of the past three editions of Itzulia Women, with all three climbs of previous stages remaining on the route.
The famous Jaizkibel (7.9km at 5.6%) is the biggest challenge of the day, though the first-category climb lies just 42.4km into the stage. It's followed up by Gurutze (2.7km at 5.2%), 18.4km later.
The final challenge of the three-day race lies just 10.1km from the finish line. Mendizorrotz (6.4km at 5.2%) could prove to be a launchpad for the race-winning move, ensuring the drama lasts to the very end of the race.
