The 2023 Tour de France is presented and dozens of Spanish cyclists who have contributed to its greatness appear in the images that evoke memories. Miguel Induráin, in yellow at the start of the 1992 Tour in San Sebastián; Marino Lejarreta and his charisma; Abraham Olano world champion; Julián Gorospe and his eternal smile… Runners linked to the occasion: the best race in the world, in its 120th edition, will start from Bilbao, at the foot of the Guggenheim Museum and a few steps from the San Mamés stadium. Lots of mountains (eight stages) and only one time trial (22 kilometres) for a French summer with a Spanish flavor.
The curtain rises on the Tour in Paris and the lehendakari, Íñigo Urkullu, takes the stage, mixing Basque and Spanish to talk about dreams, fulfilled desires and the passion in Euskadi for cycling.
The leader invites you to get to know his region, to explore its streets and ports in the introduction to a profound video in which nature, the beauty of the three Basque provinces and the cyclists who are part of the DNA merge. “We transmit it from generation to generation, respect for the mountains, the passion of a people, welcome to the country of the bicycle,” the document concludes with a point of emotion.
The first three stages of the 2023 Tour will be held in the Basque Country. The inaugural one, Bilbao-Bilbao, is a replica of the last routes of the Vuelta a España, the triumphs of Marc Soler and Philippe Gilbert through the hills that surround the Biscayan city .
The second stage joins Vitoria with San Sebastián, rough terrain that in its final part mixes climbs of the classic Donostiarra, with Jaizquibel to hurt. The third day leaves from Amorebieta and enters France to Bayonne along the beautiful Basque Cantabrian coast.
Neighboring the Pyrenees, the Tour visits the mountain very soon, day 5, Soudet, Ichere and Marie Blanque. Continue towards Cauterets (where Indurain won in 1989) after passing through the Aspin and the Tourmalet.
Always attentive to the symbols, the days starting at Mont de Marsan (Luis Ocaña, the Spaniard of this French town) and St Leonard Noblat (the birthplace of Poulidor). Halfway through the Tour, the Puy de Dome is climbed, a volcano with a modern funicular in the land of Vulcania that brings to mind the Spaniards who colonized this summit, Bahamontes, Julio Jiménez, Ocaña and Ángel Arroyo.
The Alps
The Tour advances towards the Alps without touching the Atlantic coast or the French north. Tour concentrated in the central area. The eses of Gran Colombier (17 kilometers at 7.7%) open the second mountain cooking. There will be a typical arrival in Morzine, after passing the Joux Plane (where Perico Delgado screwed up his collarbone).
Through the Alps you reach the foothills of Mont Blanc (Saint Gervais) with 4,000 meters of positive elevation gain. In that third week, the only time trial, 22 kilometers in Combloux without focus for the specialists. Up and down, curves, hills and little straight.
Camino de Courchevel will climb, in a probable queen stage, the tremendous Cormet de Roselend and, above all,the Loze, roof of the Tour (2,304 meters, discovery in 2020 where ‘Supermán’ López won).
Still one last mountain stage, the day before the end on the Champs Elysées, through the summits of Jura, Ballon d’Alsace, Petit Ballon and Platzerwasel.
A Tour to relive the duel between the Danish Jonas Vingegaard, the last winner who did not attend the presentation, and the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, awaiting the return of Egan Bernal, the decision of Remco Evenepoel and the probable decline of Primoz Roglic. Also of the hope of a Spaniard, Enric Mas, exultant at the end of the season and to whom the Tour has denied his favors.
Pogacar, the favourite, is seduced: «I really like the route. It’s going to be a tough race from the start with a difficult first week in the Basque Country. It has a lot of climbing that I like.
