The coast of the Basque Country is rugged, green and mountainous. Small towns and villages are alternated with green strips that glow continuously up and down. When the riders of the men's peloton start the 3rd stage of the Grand Depart They will swallow it all up anyway. Not because of the beauty, or because of the smooth roads, but mainly because of the ‘hidden’ elevation meters. The views along the side and the many enthusiastic supporters will certainly make up for a lot of it. As I ride the routes, in April of this year, the beauty overwhelms me. I close my eyes for a moment while cycling and hear the orange crowd shouting ‘¡Aupa!’ I’m ready for the Tour.
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Early morning coffee
While we park the car in Amorebieta-Etxano, we are looking for the slender figure of Haimar Zubeldia. The multiple tour participant and top 10 finisher, local hero and above all connoisseur of all the roads in the Basque Country takes us on a ride today. He is truly in the saddle, because Haimar is still in top form. He still competes in MTB races, trains almost daily and also for his work at Etxeondo He is regularly strapped into the ‘bicycle cart’. In a van a little further down the road I see someone making the same searching movement. ‘Haimar!’ A cordial encounter follows. Also Last year I already had the opportunity to I still have great memories of cycling with him. Now we are back for the Grand Depart of Basque Country. We dive into the local coffee shop and get ready for a wonderful day on the bike.
Layers, warming up and more
The difference between the pro and the amateur becomes immediately clear. We ‘cold’ Dutch people are wearing shorts, sleeveless tops and a body ready to go cycling. Haimar has long sleeves, a pair of knee-length pants, extra sleeve pieces, a long undershirt and I know many more things. ‘Es muy frio, ¿verdad?’ We find it quite pleasant. We drink coffee and while we prepare the bikes, a scream rings out from the street. ‘HAIMAR!!!’ A middle-aged woman is hanging out of the window of her Seat. She shouts some incomprehensible words, of which I can only make out the name of our traveling companion. He smiles and waves. ‘She’s from my hometown’. The scene is apparently normal, I find it extraordinary.
Onward to the coast
The third stage starts from the sleepy town of Amorebieta-Etxano, with a kind of curve towards the rugged coastline of the Basque Country. On the way there, we have to tackle two climbs. For the amateur cyclist like me, this is a challenge. According to Haimar, it’s just ‘to get out of the race’ for the day. The Alto de Trabakua is almost five kilometers long at 5.4 percent. The Milloi is a bit shorter with just under two and a half kilometers at about five percent. After leaving the sleepy town behind us, we first pass by other places like Durango. and tackle the Trabakua, I notice that I still don’t have the right legs for the day. Haimar and my other fellow cyclists are pedaling happily away. I just don’t feel like it yet. Haimar lowers himself slightly and points in the distance: ‘There lies the factory of Orbea‘. The Basque cycling culture is literally on the doorstep here.
Reheated
It’s still a bit hard to believe that these are just ‘warm-up’ stages. That has already happened to me after the Trabakua. I almost forget to look around at the hilly and green landscape. The roads here meander through the natural bumps. The descent from the Trabakua is one to remember. Haimar takes the lead and we follow behind him. The road is super clear and the speedometer soon hits 80 kilometers per hour. Hands on the handlebars and off we go! It’s a pleasure like that. I can’t believe that the Grand Depart of Basque Country can come so soon.
Milloi as the last obstacle
After the descent, the ascent of the Milloi follows. It is also nicely marked along the roadside. At the top you can see the numbers and that means you had to put in a little more effort than the route book says. The increase in elevation to almost ten percent is still noticeable. Haimar says it all easily. He is fit. Before the Milloi we stop for a short break. ‘Now the best part is coming,’ Haimar says. He knows it because the organization consulted him to get this stage on paper.
The coast calls
After the short descent from the Milloi, we finally reach Lekeitio. A beautiful coastal town, but like all the coastal towns here, it has a history with two faces. The lovely views over the bay and the Biscay Gulf mask the history in which drugs and the independence struggle played an important role. Haimar doesn’t want to say too much about it, but you can see that it means something to him. Many young lives have taken a different turn than their parents and loved ones would have wanted. That’s also the Basque Country region. Anyway, we get some beautiful shots here and we mostly enjoy the beauty of the town and the view. We get ever closer to Zarautz and Haimar feels more at home with every meter of cycling.
Starpower – yet again
We drive out of town and see large signs that don’t bode well. The road is closed. ‘Let’s see if we can get past’, says Haimar. We drive slowly on and we come to the construction site. They are laying fresh asphalt. No chance, you might say. The sturdy Basque man who is holding us back seems to be showing it too. We put Haimar in. A conversation with the man ensues. Haimar explains that we are a group of journalists exploring the area. The man doesn’t laugh at him yet. Haha and I think ‘this is the Pope‘. Until Steven comes around with his video equipment and Stijn shows his camera. Suddenly you see the man thinking: wait a minute, this is Haimar Zubeldia and these are indeed journalists! His attitude changes, he becomes friendly, we laugh, make a joke and with a broad smile he points us in the right direction. ‘Walk along the side for a moment, the asphalt is still hot, then you can continue on’. Thank you and thanks to Haimar ;))
Pearl of the Grand Depart of Basque Country
We have ‘climbed’ and are now back on the route. One thing is certain, the tour will be presented with a nice stretch of asphalt. There are still several towns to visit, such as Ondorroa and Mutriku. The beautiful views from here interrupt the green strip along the coast. We are now in Haimar’s backyard. He lives in Zarautz and all the roads here. The closer he lives to Zaurautz, the more radiant he is. The road swings up and down again.
Here there is no straight cliff path, but a gradient that hurts any amateur cyclist. According to Haimar, there are not enough of them to break the peloton. The climb up Itziar, which is irregular and with a length of six kilometers, is typical of Basque climbing and will not change that.
Zarautz
Afterwards, we gallop in a striding gait towards Zarautz. In Zarautz we stop at the promenade. The sun is shining through and we enjoy a delicious late lunch. In this chic seaside resort, it’s easy to relax. We take some photos with the local hero and it’s striking how calmly he can move around here. No fuss with all those questions about photos. This is really Haimar Zubeldia, who regularly appears on Basque TV. It’s nice to see that.
San Sebastian – with another pimple on its face
To get to San Sebastian, we still have to overcome a ‘small climb’. I remember from last year that this is no joke. Harken up, that’s the motto. Haimar puts me in my place here: outside layer, mouth closed and he pedals me past. He can hardly contain his laughter. Man, man, thank you! But without getting too carried away, this is really a treat. Despite the fact that it hurts a bit in my legs.
Ready for the Tour?
In San Sebastian, there is still little to be seen of the arrival of the Tour. No big announcements, no major roadworks. As we sit down for a cup of coffee and a delicious cake at Oiartzun, behind the town hall, we see the first image. A yellow jersey hanging from the town hall. But from the back. The Tour has yet to land here. From here, the peloton heads towards the border with France. In the third stage, the riders leave the Jaizkibel The road is sloping to the left. Just one more swing and a turn and the finish in Bayonne is already in sight.
Enjoying at Hotel Arima
The many bike paths and the many cyclists betray that the Basque Country embraces cycling, even as a means of transport. Our stay at the Arima Hotel & Spa fits the bill. The largest carbon-negative complex in Europe is a home away from home for cyclists. A separate bike storage room with ample space for locking up bikes, a fantastic breakfast and dinner, plus the spa provide excellent care for tired racing legs.
Questions & tips
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