Itzulia Women
Itzulia Women 2026 — three stages of Basque-Country racing from May 15–17 across the same iconic terrain that hosts the men's Itzulia Basque Country. The route opens with a Zarautz coastal circuit (Friday), moves inland to Abadiño → Amorebieta-Etxano on Saturday's hilly day, and closes on Sunday around Donostia / San Sebastián. The shorter, compressed 3-stage format means every day carries GC weight — there's no easy stage to recover. The race is a key spring-form indicator for GC contenders building toward the Giro d'Italia Women later in May.
Where to watch
⚠️ Spoiler warning: live streams and broadcaster home pages may show current standings. Disable autoplay & avoid sidebar recommendations on YouTube.
The route, day by day
Who to watch & what to watch for
Top Starters
Jerseys
Fight for the overall
Narratives to watch
- Compressed 3-day format: With only three stages, every day matters. Punchy Basque terrain makes the race short but selective.
- Spring form indicator: Held two weeks before the Giro d'Italia Women, Itzulia is a major form check for GC contenders targeting late-spring stage races.
- SD Worx-Protime vs FDJ-SUEZ: Two of the strongest WT teams have stacked rosters here — expect inter-team chess on every climb.
- Donostia finale: Sunday's closing stage around San Sebastián mirrors the men's Donostia Klasikoa terrain, with punchy hills on the closing circuit.
Form book & lore
Itzulia Women was inaugurated in 2022 as the women's counterpart to the long-running Itzulia Basque Country. It joined the UCI Women's WorldTour from inception and has rapidly built prestige as a Basque-terrain test. Past editions have been dominated by SD Worx-Protime — the team has won the GC in multiple consecutive years.
When to tune in
Saturday's Abadiño → Amorebieta stage is the heaviest climbing day and likely GC decider. Sunday's Donostia circuit can flip margins if Saturday wasn't decisive.