Itzulia 2022 will take place between April 4 and 9 on Basque and Navarran roads. The coming-out took place at the Itsasetxea in Hondarribia, at Casa del Mar. The stages will be Hondarribia-Hondarribia, Leitza-Viana, Llodio-Amurrio, Vitoria-Zamudio, Zamudio-Mallabia and Eibar-Alto de Arrate. Almost 1,000 km. touching all the provinces but without yet entering the French-Basque Country because the evolution of the pandemic is still unknown. The layout was announced a month ago in the town hall of the Guipuzcoan town but the gala took place this morning in a building with views of France.
After the speeches by the mayor, Txomin Sagarzazu, and the Basque Government’s Minister of Culture and Sports, Bingen Zupiria, the informative data regarding the test arrived. Cyclists such as Roberto Laiseka, Neil Stephens or Txomin Perurena, among others, were present. Laiseka, without going any further, is the technical manager of the track. Julián Eraso, president of OCETA, the company that organizes the race, said that “we still cannot offer the final list of runners since some are competing and there may be unexpected situations, injuries or illnesses. The pandemic has not abandoned us yet and we will have a very strict protocol.”
The list of participants, for now, will include Primoz Roglic, Geraint Thomas, Vingegaard, McNulty, Marc Soler, Majka, Juan Ayuso, Pello Bilbao, Adam Yates, Omar Fraile, Enric Mas, Gorka Izaguirre, Alaphilippe, Evenepoel, Conti, Romo, Caicedo, Padun, Gallopin, Elissonde, Woods, Calmejane, Mikel Nieve, Lastra, Donovan, Guillermoz, Latour, Higuieta or Ion Izaguirre among others. Pogaçar has chosen another calendar and will not be present at the Hondarribia starting line. Therefore, last year’s Slovenian duel with an explosive stage in Ermualde, in Santa María del Yermo, will not be repeated.
Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious) will not take part in the Basque round because “it is a bit far, but also close to the Giro d’Italia. Together with the Tour, they are my main objectives For this season. I plan to ride the Tour of the Alps and then go to the Giro which, as always, has a very mountainous finish, with stages that could come in handy. I left my week in Tirreno-Adriatico very happy, where I finished third. I’m in good shape, ”said the man from Alava.