The countdown to the most special Tour begins

When the 2022 Tour de France came to an end on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on Sunday afternoon, the 2023 edition began, a very special one for the Basque fan since the great start of the French round will be organized by Euskadi . Despite the fact that there are still 339 days left for the date of July 1, the yellow was already noticed this Tuesday in Gipuzkoa with the arrival of the Grand Départ trophy of the world’s largest race. The ultra-distance runners Julián Sanz and Ziortza Villa left the French capital on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. by bicycle carrying the cup that has passed from Danish to Basque hands with the goal of delivering it to the city of Bilbao last night.

San Sebastián was the first stop in Euskadi after a day and seventeen hours of pedaling almost without rest. Sanz and Villa took advantage of the technical stops to receive massages to have a minimum rest. There were four breaks from Paris to San Sebastián and the rain and headwind for several hours caused them to lose time compared to the scheduled time.

They entered the Basque Country through Irun around 11:00 a.m. and San Sebastián welcomed them with the Kursaal illuminated in yellow and with the message “Ongi eTOURri” next to the symbol of the Grand Départ of 2023. In an arch installed at the end of the Kursaal bridge They were awaited by Markel Olano, Deputy General of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council; Eneko Goia, Mayor of San Sebastián; the aforementioned media and many onlookers who later took the opportunity to photograph themselves under the arch, yellow and where the previously mentioned play on words was also inscribed.

The ultra-long distance runners, at their stop in the Plaza del Guggenheim in Bilbao. /

LUIS ANGEL GOMEZ

The stop of the two ultradistance runners was brief. Just enough time to take the required photos, exchange impressions with the authorities and briefly express their feelings about the effort they were putting into before resuming the march in a hurry, since they had to stop in Vitoria and Amorebieta-Etxano, starting locations of the second and third, respectively, before arriving at the Guggenheim square in Bilbao.

End of stage in La Zurriola

The one who did have time to assess the special year of waiting that remains in the Basque Country for this world event was Mayor Eneko Goia, who pointed out that “the Tour has arrived in Donostia and in the Basque Country and that means that we are the next (to organize the exit). We are working with dedication because the challenge is enormous, but this city is already used to hosting this type of event and challenge, and I am sure it will be a great party». He confirmed that the second stage, starting in Vitoria, will end at the La Zurriola promenade at the height of the buckets after the peloton faces Jaizkibel on the Hondarribia slope.

In total there will be three stages and 530 kilometers that will run along Basque roads before leaving the territory for Irun. The first stage will be a very mountainous circuit around Bilbao of 185 kilometers in which the first yellow jersey will be decided on a route typical of Itzulia.

The second will start from Vitoria and will cross Gipuzkoa through the interior through the heights of Aztiria, Alkiza and Gurutze before reaching Hondarribia, where Jaizkibel awaits and fifteen kilometers from the top to reach the finish line of La Zurriola in San Sebastián and complete the 210 kilometers in another hard day.

The third and final stage will start from Amorebieta-Etxano and will end in a French town yet to be discovered. The Gipuzkoa coast will enjoy the second pass of the best peloton in the world with the ascents of Itziar and Ventas de Orio to descend from Igeldo to San Sebastián and set foot on French soil through Irun.