Itzulia_Women
Itzulia Women
Spanish multi-day road cycling race
The Itzulia Women is a women's cycle stage race in Spain, part of the UCI Women's World Tour. The race takes place in the Basque Country autonomous community in Northern Spain, on tough, hilly roads similar to the Clásica de San Sebastián.[1][2]
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | May |
| Region | Basque Country, Spain |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI Women's World Tour |
| Type | Stage race |
| Organiser | OCETA |
| Race director | Julián Eraso |
| Web site | itzulia-women |
| History | |
| First edition | 2022 |
| Editions | 2 (as of 2023) |
| First winner |  Demi Vollering (NED) |
| Most recent |  Marlen Reusser (SUI) |
The Tour of the Basque Country is a longstanding men's stage race, being first held in 1924. In 2019, a one-day race for professional women was held on a similar course to the Clásica de San Sebastián.[3] In 2021, a 'Tour of the Basque Country' for women was proposed to replace the women's Clásica de San Sebastián.[4]
The first edition of Itzulia Women took place in 2022, over 3 days,[1] and was won by Demi Vollering.[5] Euskadi Cycling Organisations President Julián Eraso was criticised by the organiser and local politicians for sexism,[6] after he stated that "we have almost forced to organise [the race]; it's a matter of fashion".[7][8]
The second edition in 2023 was dominated by SD Worx, with the team taking four of the five classifications. It was won by Marlen Reusser.[9]
| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Netherlands |
Demi Vollering | SD Worx |
| 2023 | Switzerland |
Marlen Reusser | SD Worx |
- "Itzulia Women 2022 Preview: Route, contenders and predictions". Rouleur. Archived from the original on 2022-05-30. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- "Preview: Itzulia kicks off Women's WorldTour stage racing season". CyclingTips. 2022-05-12. Archived from the original on 2022-05-14. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
The race traverses the three regions of Basque territory, often characterised by tough, hilly terrain, and the riders will tackle thirteen categorised climbs over the three stages across 363.3km
- "Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2019: Results". cyclingnews.com. 2019-08-03. Archived from the original on 2021-05-10. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- "There will be no Itzulia Women's race in 2021 but there will be a Women's San Sebastián Classic". Itzulia Basque Country. 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- Rogers, Owen (2022-05-15). "Triple Crown as Vollering wins her third Itzulia Women stage to seal the overall". cyclingweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- "Itzulia Women forced to issue statement after director's comments". CyclingTips. 2022-05-13. Archived from the original on 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
Understandably, Eraso's comments drew the ire of various Basque political and sporting figures who denounced the organiser's comments as "machismo" (sexism).
- "Julián Eraso, director de la Itzulia Femenina: "Casi nos obligaron a organizarla; es una cuestión de modas"". El Español (in Spanish). 2022-05-13. Archived from the original on 2022-05-16. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- Pavitt, Michael (13 May 2022). "Vollering wins first stage of Itzulia Women as organisers apologise for race director comments". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
The official implied the organisers had almost been forced to organise a women's race "as a matter of fashion." "We have almost been forced to organise it," Eraso said in comments reported by El Español.
- Moultrie, James (2023-05-14). "Reusser breaks Vollering's stage winning streak, wins Itzulia 2023 with solo attack". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2023-05-22.