Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco 2010 Live Dashboard
2010 Podium: RadioShack's Chris Horner may have struggled on the podium, but earlier he uncorked a clutch individual time trial performance to win the final stage, the overall and the prized 50th Txapela (the great hat). Photo: Colin Flockton, steephill.tv
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News and Updates for Vuelta al País Vasco 2011
Vuelta al País Vasco 2011 Live Dashboard — steephill.tvNews and Updates for Vuelta al País Vasco 2010
Stage 6 results: Chris Horner walks the talk; takes the final stage ITT win and the overall from Alejandro Valverde
Stage 6 results 1 Chris Horner (RadioShack) 32:33 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargen) + 0:08 3 Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia) + 0:13 4 Michale Rogers (HTC-Columbia) + 0:18 5 Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) + 0:21 6 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) + 0:23 7 Marco Pinotti (HTC-Columbia) + 0:25 8 Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) + 0:33 9 Jean ChristophePeraud (Omega Pharma-L) 10 Andreas Kloden (RadioShack) + 0:34
Enlarge Podium Photo
Final general classification 1 Christopher Horner (RadioShack) 23:27:30 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) + 0:07 3 Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) + 0:58 4 Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) + 1:06 5 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Omega Pharma-L) + 1:10 6 Marco Pinotti (HTC-Columbia) + 1:18 7 Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux) + 1:47 8 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) + 1:58 9 Robert Gesink (Rabobank) + 1:59 10 Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) + 2:27
Horner wins Basque Tour — velonewsHorner wins Tour of Basque Country after blitzing TT — cyclingweekly.co.uk Stage 6 podium and action photos — vueltapaisvasco.diariovascoHorner blasts his way to stage and race win — cyclingnews (Full Results) Stage 6 photos — cyclinginside
Podium Ceremony — eitb Chris Horner: "Ésta es mi carrera mi favorita" (01:29 english and spanish) — eitb Alejandro Valverde: "No he podido ganar, pero el balance es positivo" (01:32 spanish) — eitb Beñat Intxausti: "No esperaba estar en el podium" (02:33 )— eitb Stage 6 Highlights; Valverde's finish (03:09 spanish) — rtve.es Valverde vs Horner Highlights (01:55) — universalsports
Chris Horner post-race interview (06:55) — universalsportsApril 10 update: One second. That's all a confident sounding Chris Horner needs to beat Alejandro Valverde during the final day individual time-trial. The 22k course is technical with a good 300m hill in the first half. Valverde is normally the better TTer and bike handler and he has looked good all week, but it would be great to see Horner win. It should be an interesting finale to the 50th edition of this fine race. See the race summary table (r) for the stage profile, map, timetable. — Steve
Interactive map and profile with Google Earth option — bikemap.net
ITT Start Order and Times (scroll down) — biciciclismoHorner ‘confident’ ahead of TT showdown with Valverde — velonewsStage 5 results: Joaquim Rodríguez solos in to move up to third on GC after a hilly, technical stage
Stage 5 results 1 Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha) 4:07:52 2 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) + 0:14 3 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) 4 Chris Horner (Team RadioShack) 5 Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux) + 0:20 6 Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre) 7 Ryder Hesjdeal (Garmin-Transitions) 8 Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) 9 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 10 Jean Christophe Peraud (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 11 Marco Pinotti (Team HTC-Columbia) 12 Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 13 Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) 14 Haimar Zubeldia (Team RadioShack) 15 Maxime Monfort (Team HTC-Columbia) 16 Kanstantin Siutsou (Team HTC-Columbia) + 0:24 17 Evgeni Petrov (Team Katusha) + 0:42 18 Dani Navarro (Astana) + 0:51 19 Daniel Martin (Garmin-Transitions) + 0:59 General classification after stage 5 1 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) 2 Christopher Horner (Team RadioShack) + 0:01 3 Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha) + 0:34 4 Jean Christophe Peraud (Omega Pharma-Lotto) + 0:38 5 Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 6 Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) + 0:45 7 Marco Pinotti (Team HTC-Columbia) + 0:54 8 Robert Gesink (Rabobank) 9 Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux) 10 Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) + 1:16
Rodriguez soloes in for Katusha; Valverde retains overall lead (Full Results) — cyclingnewsHorner ‘confident’ ahead of TT showdown with Valverde — velonewsRodriguez wins in Basque Country, Valverde defends lead — velonationHorner Looks to Saturday's Time Trial — livestrongCrash drops Gesink from third to eighth — cyclingnews Stage 5 photos — cyclingnews Amets Txurruka crashes on a late descent while leading the stage (01:44 no audio) — eitb The very steep final climb, Alto de Aia-Frontón (02:10 ambient noise) — eitb Last 2 Km (07:21 no audio) — eitb Stage 5 photos — vueltapaisvasco.diariovascoApril 9 update: Stage 5 is a day with more good hills and two cat 2 climbs, the second being short but steep, close to the final km, downhill finish in Orio. See the race summary table (r) for the stage profile, map, timetable. — Steve
Interactive map and profile with Google Earth option — bikemap.netStage 4 results: Sanchez takes the Queen Stage while Valverde moves into the overall lead
 
Also follow steephill on Twitter for the latest race info and video updates. |
Stage 4 results 1 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) + 0:02 3 Robert Gesink (Rabobank) 4 Chris Horner (Team RadioShack) 5 Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) + 0:33 6 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 7 Damiano Cunego (Lampre) + 0:40 8 Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) 9 Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux) + 0:49 10 Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha) General classification after stage 4 1 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) 2 Christopher Horner (Team RadioShack) + 0:01 3 Robert Gesink (Rabobank) 4 Jean Christophe Peraud (Omega Pharma-Lotto) + 0:32 5 Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 6 Damiano Cunego (Lampre) + 0:39 7 Andy Schleck (Team Saxon Bank) 8 Marco Pinotti (Team HTC-Columbia) + 0:48 9 Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha) 10 Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux)
Sanchez wins hilly stage in Pais Vasco (Full Results) — cyclingnewsFrank Schleck crashes at Basque Country — velonewsHorner Animates in Basque Country — livestrong Samuel Sánchez: "Dedico la victoria a mi prima Laura y a mi amigo Álvaro" (02:15 spanish) — eitb Stage 4 photos — cyclingnews Last 2 Km (04:10 spanish) — rtve.es Last 8 Km
Part 1 (10:00 basque) | Part 2 (08:12) — eitb Last 6 km (16:40 spanish) — eitbApril 8 update: Unlike the first three stages, Stage 4 will not end in a sprint finish. This is the most difficult stage with eight categorized climbs including 2 cat 1's with one of them in the last 10 km of the stage in Eibar, a popular stop for this race. Call this the Queen Stage. See the race summary table (r) for the stage profile, map, timetable. — Steve
Interactive map and profile with Google Earth option — bikemap.netStage 3 results: Another sprint finish with Oscar Freire just missing out for the straight third day
Stage 3 results 1 Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre) 4:49:52 2 Oscar Freire (Rabobank) 3 Peter Velits (Team HTC-Columbia) 4 Alexandre Botcharov (Team Katusha) 5 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 6 Davide Vigano (Team Sky) 7 Christian Knees (Team Milram) 8 Davide Malacarne (Quick Step) 9 Paul Martens (Rabobank) 10 Kristjan Koren (Liquigas) 11 Alexander Efimkin (AG2R) 12 Marco Pinotti (Team HTC-Columbia) + 0:02 13 Daniele Pietropolli (Lampre) 14 Iban Velasco (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 15 Thomas Rohregger (Team Milram) 16 David Loosli (Lampre) 17 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step) 18 Serafín Martínez (Xacobeo Galicia) 19 Mauro Finetto (Liquigas) 20 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) General classification after stage 3 1 Oscar Freire (Rabobank) 2 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) + 0:01 3 Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) + 0:03
Gavazzi takes the sprint in Amurrio — cyclingnews Stage 2 photos — cyclingnewsGavazzi brucia Freire
Che sprint nei Paesi Baschi! — gazzetta.it Last Km (01:52 spanish) — eitbApril 7 update: Stage 3 is a rolling stage as we head back north(west) for a flat finish this time in Amurrio so expect another field sprint. See the race summary table (r) for the stage profile, map, timetable. — Steve
Interactive map and profile with Google Earth option — bikemap.netStage 2 results
Valverde outsprints Freire in Viana — cyclingnewsValverde takes another win at Basque Tour — velonews Last Km (04:58) — rtve.es Stage 2 photos — biciciclismo... more to come... April 5 update: Stage 2 is a rolling-hilly route south from the stage 1 host, Zierbena to Viana, some 210k later with one circuit thrown in. There is a 4% uphill grade for the last km. See the race summary table (r) for the stage profile, map, timetable. — Steve
Interactive map and profile with Google Earth option — bikemap.netStage 1: The break fails; Alejandro Valverde wins the sprint finish after provisional winner Oscar Freire is relegated
Stage 1 results1 Oscar Freire (Rabobank)relegated 3:57:57 1 Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) 2 Christophe Le Mevel (Française des Jeux) 3 Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) 4 Alexandr Kolobnev (Team Katusha) 5 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 6 Rigoberto Urán (Caisse d'Epargne) 7 Haimar Zubeldia (Team RadioShack) 8 Daniel Martin (Garmin-Transitions) 9 Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 10 Sandy Casar (Française Des Jeux)
Valverde wins opening stage after Freire is relegated (Full Results) — cyclingnewsHesjedal third as Valverde awarded win at Basque Country opener — velonewsAlejandro Valverde, ganador de la primera etapa de la Vuelta ciclista al País Vasco tras la descalificación de Freire — diariovasco The victory salute and protest salute Alejandro Valverde finally gets to celebrate on the podium Stage 1 photos — cyclingnews Last Km (00:56 spanish) — rtve.es Last Km with overhead angle (00:49 spanish) — eitb Last Km and Finish Analysis (02:50 english) — eurosport... more to come...
2010 official rosters
April 5 update: Updated for today's start:
2010 Official Rosters/Startlist
April 4 update: Stage 1 is a hilly bar-bell shaped loop starting and ending in Zierbena in the coastal region of the Basque Country just west of San Sebastian. There is a cat 2 climb 25 km from the finish, which is fairly flat for the last 15 km, with the last km being slightly downhill. See the race summary table (r) for the stage profile, map, timetable. — Steve Interactive map and profile with Google Earth option — bikemap.netEn Directo: Live Video Streaming and TV Coverage
| media source | tv or internet | comments/restrictions |
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live video (basque) tv schedule
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Worldwide; Basque; daily broadcast at 15:15 CEST. |
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live video (spanish) live video (unrestricted) tv schedule |
Spanish; Teledeporte feed; daily at 15:45 CEST (105 min). |
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live video (basque) tv schedule
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Worldwide; Basque; daily broadcast at 16:35 CEST |
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live video (basque) tv schedule
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Free worldwide; Basque; daily broadcast at 15:55 CEST. |
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live video (no audio) tv schedule (see comments) |
North America only?; live streaming video every day starting at 9:45 AM ET (90 min); no commentary; Delayed broadcast w/ English commentary on the Universal Sports TV Channel at 12 PM ET (90 min). On-demand rebroadcast of Stage 6 |
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 live video (english) live audio (english) tv schedule (europe) |
British Eurosport only; live at 15:00 GMT (90 min); highlights at 20:30 GMT (70 min); |
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live video (french) tv schedule |
France and Europe satellites; live each day at 16:00 CEST with rebroadcasts throughout the day |
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live text updates |
Official text updates in Spanish and ticker (Google English Translation) |
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live text updates ESlive text updates EN |
The Spanish website Biciciclismo alos has the latest race updates |  |
 steephill text updates #VueltaPaisVasco twitter group |
short text updates from any and everyone | check back at race time for more and updated links;  send a comment or a new live link |
2010 Previews
Preview: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco — podiumcafeValverde looks forward to Basque Country — Agence France PresseValverde and Schleck leading figures in Tour of the Basque Country — eitbDan Martin looks forward to Basque Country — cyclingweekly.co.ukSpaniards expected to dominate in mountainous Pais Vasco — cyclingnews2010 roster now posted
April 1 update: 2010 Provisional Rosters/Startlist
Interactive stage maps now posted
March 21 update: Thanks to bikemap.net, we now have interactive maps for each stage. Stage 1 was very hard to map and there may be a few mistakes. See the 'map' links in the race summary table (right) — Steve
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Also follow steephill on Twitter for the latest race info and video updates. |
2010 Early Preview
January 25 update: The 2010 and 50th Tour of the Basque Country will see the return of last year's champion and 2009 Tour de France winner, Alberto Contador. Expect tougher competition with Andy and Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), World Champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) and Spanish rival Samuel Sanchez also expected to partake... more to come. Learn more about this race from last year's introduction. Thanks to Colin Flockton for the heads up on the 2010 info. — Steve
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| 1 | Monday, April 6th | 142 km | ||||
| Ataun → Ataun | ||||||
| profile | map | timetable | results | photos | video | ||||||
| 2 | Tuesday, April 7th | 169 km | ||||
| Ataun → Villatuerta | ||||||
| profile | map | timetable | results | photos | video | ||||||
| 3 | Wednesday, April 8th | 163 km | ||||
 Villatuerta → Éibar |
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| profile | map | timetable | results | photos | video | ||||||
| 4 | Thursday, April 9th | 152 km | ||||
| Éibar → Güeñes | ||||||
| profile | map | timetable | results | photos | video | ||||||
| 5 | Friday, April 10th | 162 km | ||||
| Güeñes→ Zalla | ||||||
| profile | map | timetable | results | photos | video | ||||||
| 6 | Saturday, April 11th | 24 km | ||||
| Zalla → Zalla | TT | |||||
| profile | map | timetable | results | photos | video | ||||||
| Total Distance | 812 km | |||||
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News and Updates for Vuelta al País Vasco 2009
Tour of the Basque Country 2010 Live Video, Route, Stages,
Teams, TV Schedule, Results and Photos
Stage 6 results: Alberto Contador wins the final TT to seal up his overall win
Contador also won last year's final TT. The Final GC Podium.
Big Photos from Stage 6 — colin flocktonStage 6 results 1. Alberto Contador (Spanje/Astana) 31:59 2. Antonio Colom (Spanje/Katusha) + :22 3. Samuel Sanchez (Spanje/Euskaltel-Euskadi) + :45 4. Michael Rogers (Australië/Team Columbia-Highroad) + :09 5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spanje/Caisse d'Epargne) + 1:13 6. Marco Pinotti (Italië/Team Columbia-Highroad) + 1:18 7. Christian Vandevelde (Amerika/Garmin-Slipstream) + 1:22 8. Cadel Evans (Australië/Silence-Lotto) + 1:25 9. Robert Gesink (Nederland/Rabobank) st 10. Damiano Cunego (Italië/Lampre) + 1:26 Final General classification 1. Alberto Contador (Spanje/Astana) 20:48:30 2. Antonio Colom (Spanje/Katusha) + :30 3. Samuel Sanchez (Spanje/Euskaltel-Euskadi) + :53 4. Cadel Evans (Australië/Silence-Lotto) + 1:33 5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spanje/Caisse d'Epargne) + 1:48 6. Damiano Cunego (Italië/Lampre) + 1:53
high-res victory salute Contador celebrates after crossing the line — universalsports Big Photos from Stage 6 — colin flocktonContador arrolla en la crono y se lleva la Vuelta — asFull Results — cyclingnews Stage 6 Highlights — universalsportsStage 5 results: Marco Pinotti of Team Columbia solos the last 15k in the pouring rain and finishes 20 seconds ahead of the field sprint
Big Photos from Stage 5 — colin flocktonStage 5 results 1 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia - Highroad 4.15.56 2 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha 0.19 3 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 4 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 5 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram 6 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 7 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 8 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram 9 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step 10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana General classification after stage 5 1 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 20.16.31 2 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.08 3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto
Full Results — cyclingnewsPinotti hammers home win at Basque Tour — velonews Last 3 Km El italiano Pinotti aprovechó la falta de batalla entre los favoritos — as Stage 5 Photos — universalsports Contador Carries Yellow To Final Day — astana-cyclingteam Big Photos from Stage 5 — colin flocktonPinotti, è impresa vera — gazzetta.itPinotti aprovecha el marcaje entre los favoritos para ganar en Zalla — vueltapaisvasco.diariovasco Stage 5 Highlights (2:00) — universalsports Stage 5 Photos — official siteStage 4 results: Albasini wins easily from the three man break/sprint
Big Photos from Stage 4 — colin flocktonStage 4 results 1 Michael Albasini (Swi) Team Columbia - Highroad 2 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence-Lotto 3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 4 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha 1.25 5 Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step 6 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam General classification after stage 4 1 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 16.00.16 2 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.08 3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 4 Antonio Colom Mas (Spa) Team Katusha 5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 0.27 6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.32 7 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.35 8 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 0.54
Full Results...coming — cyclingnewsEtapa para Albasini y Contador sigue líder
— as high-res victory saluteVande Velde third, Contador in control, Horner crashes out — velonewsJurgen Van den Broeck grijpt naast bloemen (...coming?) — sporza.be Big Photos from Stage 4 — colin flockton Stage 4 Photos — universalsports Stage 4 Highlights (01:51) — universalsports Stage 4 Photos — official siteStage 3 results: Contador dances away with the Queen Stage
Stage 3 results 1 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 4.16.29 (40.35 km/h) 2 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 0.09 3 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 4 Antonio Colom Mas (Spa) Team Katusha 5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 0.28 6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.33 7 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.36 General classification after stage 3 1 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 11.59.08 2 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.09 3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 4 Antonio Colom Mas (Spa) Team Katusha 5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 0.28 6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.33 7 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.36
Contador storms to stage, overall lead — cyclingnewsAlberto Contador wins stage 3 of the Basque tour and takes over the lead from Sanchez — velonews Stage 3 Photos — universalsports Stage 3 Finish Part 1 (09:00) Stage 3 Finish Part 2 (link corrected) (05:34) Alberto Contador geeft zijn visitekaartje af — sporza.be Stage 3 Photos — official site Spectator Video on the finishing climb to Arrate: many of these Basque fans go to the Tour de France each year (01:28) Stage 3 preview: Queen Stage coming up on Wednesday
  steephill is now on Twitter with the latest race updates |
Pais Vasco: A Viewers Guide To Tomorrow's Queen Stage — podiumcafe
Precise Stage 3 Course Map (redone) (generated profile looks different from above) — bikemap.net
Stage 2 results: The two man break succeeds; Yury Trofimov (Rus) of BBox Bouygues Telecom takes the win
Stage 2 results 1 Yury Trofimov (Rus) BBox Bouygues Telecom 4.12.46 2 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis 0.06 3 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha 1.10 4 Michael Albasini (Swi) Team Columbia - Highroad 5 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 6 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 7 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram 8 Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step 9 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Saxo Bank 10 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.
Full Results — cyclingnews Last 3 KmSwift third in Pais Vasco — cyclingweekly.co.ukYury Trofimov (Bouygues Telecom) wins stage 2 in the Basque, as Sanchez retains the lead — velonews Stage 2 Photos — official siteStage 2 photos — universalsportsTrofimov se anota la segunda etapa, Luis León Sánchez sigue líder — as| steephill is now on Twitter with the latest race updates |
Stage maps for all stages now posted
April 7 update: Spanish race orgainzers aren't very good at providing stage maps, but bikemap.net has heeded my suggestion and put together their own so we now have nice interactive maps and profiles of all stages. See the 'map' links in the race summary table.Stage 1 results: Luis León Sánchez of Caisse d'Epargne wins the 15 man sprint in Ataun
Stage 1 results 1 Luis Léon Sanchez Gil GCE 03u28'43'' 2 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez EUS z.t 3 Jérôme Pineau QST z.t 4 Christian Knees MRM z.t 5 Alexandr Kolobnev SAX z.t 6 Joaquím Rodriguez Oliver GCE z.t 7 Michael Rogers TCO z.t 8 Vincenzo Nibali LIQ z.t 9 Dries Devenyns QST z.t 10 Cadel Evans SIL z.t 11 Christopher Horner AST z.t 12 Damiano Cunego LAM z.t 13 Alberto Contador Velasco AST z.t 14 Antonio Colom Mas KAT z.t 15 Sandy Casar FDJ z.t 16 Fränk Schleck SAX z.t 17 David Lopez Garcia GCE z.t 18 Robert Gesink RAB z.t
Full Results — cyclingnews Last 4 Km (06:50)Luis Leon Sanchez snelste sprinter in Baskenland — wielerflits.nlLuis León Sánchez gana la primera etapa y se convierte en el primer líder — as Climbing Alto de Lazkaomendi 10k from the line (06:50) Stage 1 Photos — official siteRace Preview
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País Vasco: The Astana show continues — cyclingnews10 riders to watch at the Tour of the Basque Country — universalsportsUpcoming: Vuelta Pais Vasco, April 6-11 — europelotonProvisional/Official Rosters now up
March 30 update: Official rosters with bib numbers and country sort option are now up (see right). Considering this event runs inbetween Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, the provisional rosters are very impressive.Two ways to view the startlist:
March 27 update: The official route presentation:
Presentada la nueva Vuelta Al País Vasco — biciciclismo
March 22 update: All stage profiles and timetables are now posted. See the race summary table (right). (Thanks Colin Flockton)
Feburary 7 update: The Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco is a cycling stage race held in the Basque Country, a cultural region shared between France and Spain, at the same time the classics are happening in northern Europe, giving riders (mainly climbers) an alternative to the cobbles and cold weather.
Known as the Tour of the Basque Country in English and Euskal Herriko Txirrindulari Itzulia in Basque, the six-day race was first held in 1935, while the modern version of the race took place for the first time in 1969. The race is now organised by the leading Basque newspaper Diario Vasco (official site) which holds a UCI ProTour licence through to 2012. This year's event runs from Monday, April 6th through Saturday, April 11th.
In 2008, Spain's Alberto Contador (Astana) pulled off a wire-to-wire victory at the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco. He took the first stage to Legazpi and then wrapped it up, in style, with a surprise 20 km TT win around Orio on the final day.
The route of the Vuelta Pais Vasco 2009 will again highlight the picturesque, hilly/mountainous Basque countryside and the coastal region. Stages are planned for Ataun, Villatuerta, Guenes, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Zalla.
Beijing Olympic gold medalist Samuel Sanchez and his local Basque Eusklatel team have the Vuelta al Pais Vasco placed on their list of major objectives for 2009. Last year's Tour de France champion, Carlos Sastre will also ride it for the new Cervelo Test Team and Alberto Contador has announced he will return to defend his title.
Thanks to steephill.tv European photo contributor, Colin Flockton, for submitting the route map for this year's event. He points out that the other Basque Country stage race, Euskal-Bizikleta, has merged with The Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco for 2009. — Steve and uci.ch
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(Contador and Sanchez photos © steephill.tv/sirotti)
Alberto Contador surprised a lot of people at last year's Vuelta al País Vasco by winning the final day TT sealing up his wire-to-wire overall win.
The Official 2009 Route Map (mapa de la ruta/pista y etapas):