Tour of Basque Country
Encyclopedia
The Tour of the Basque Country is an annual cycling
stage race held in the Basque Country
, Spain
, in April.
The first race was held in 1924, but between 1935 and 1969 the race was not held. However between 1939 and 1969 similar races were organised. The race is mentioned and described in Ernest Hemingway
's novel 'The Sun Also Rises
'. It is one of 24 races that make up the UCI World Ranking
calendar.
The first winner was Francis Pélissier
from France
. The first winner of the 'modern' Tour of the Basque Country (1969) was Jacques Anquetil
. The most successful rider in the Tour of the Basque Country was José Antonio Gonzalez Linares
, who won the race four times in 1972, 1975, 1977 and 1978. The most recent edition (2011) was won by Andreas Klöden
from Germany
Because the Basque Country is a mountainous area there are hardly any flat stages, and the event's winners therefore tend to be good climbers. Most climbs in the Tour of the Basque Country are not high, but often they are quite steep.
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
stage race held in the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in April.
The first race was held in 1924, but between 1935 and 1969 the race was not held. However between 1939 and 1969 similar races were organised. The race is mentioned and described in Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
's novel 'The Sun Also Rises
The Sun Also Rises
The Sun Also Rises is a 1926 novel written by American author Ernest Hemingway about a group of American and British expatriates who travel from Paris to the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and the bullfights. An early and enduring modernist novel, it received...
'. It is one of 24 races that make up the UCI World Ranking
UCI World Ranking
The UCI World Tour is the premier annual male elite road cycling tour. It refers to both the tour of 27 events and an annual ranking system based upon performances in these...
calendar.
The first winner was Francis Pélissier
Francis Pélissier
Francis Pélissier was a French professional road racing cyclist from Paris. He was the younger brother of Tour de France winner Henri Pélissier, and the older brother of Tour de France stage winner Charles Pélissier. He won several classic cycle races like Paris–Tours, Bordeaux–Paris and Grand...
from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The first winner of the 'modern' Tour of the Basque Country (1969) was Jacques Anquetil
Jacques Anquetil
Jacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
. The most successful rider in the Tour of the Basque Country was José Antonio Gonzalez Linares
José Antonio González
José Antonio González Linares is a Spanish former road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :19671970...
, who won the race four times in 1972, 1975, 1977 and 1978. The most recent edition (2011) was won by Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Because the Basque Country is a mountainous area there are hardly any flat stages, and the event's winners therefore tend to be good climbers. Most climbs in the Tour of the Basque Country are not high, but often they are quite steep.