The coast of the Basque country is rugged, green and hilly. Small towns and villages are interspersed with green stretches that continuously slope up and down. When the riders of the men's peloton stage 3 of the Grand Depart ride, they will gulp anyway. Not because of the beauty, or because of the slippery roads, but mainly because of the 'hidden' altimeters. The views along the way and the many enthusiastic supporters will surely make up for a lot. When I ride the routes, in April 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
As we park the car in Amorebieta-Etxano, the search is on for the slender figure of Haimar Zubeldia. The multiple tour competitor and top 10 finisher, local hero and above all connoisseur of all the roads in the Basque country takes us in tow today. Rightly in tow, because Haimar is still in top form. He still rides MTB races, trains almost daily and also for his work at Etxeondo he is regularly strained for the 'bicycle cart'. In a van a little further on, I see someone making the same searching motion. 'Haimar!' A cordial encounter follows. Also Last year I was allowed to cycling with him and I still keep fond memories of that. Now we are back for the Grand Depart Basque Country. We dive into the local coffee bar and get ready for a wonderful day on the bike.
Layering, warming and more
The difference between the pro and the amateur becomes immediately clear. We 'cold' Dutch are in shorts, with sleeve pieces and a body ready to go cycling. Haimar is wearing long sleeves, trousers with knee pads, extra sleeve pads, long undershirt and I don't know what else. 'Es muy frio, no?' We think it's not too bad. We drink coffee and as we prepare the bikes, a shout is heard from the street. 'HAIMAR!!!' A middle-aged woman hangs out the window of her Seat. She shouts some unintelligible terms, in which I can only make out our travelling companion's first name. He smiles and waves. 'She's from my hometown'. The scene is apparently normal; I find it extraordinary.
On to the coast
The third stage draws from the sleepy town of Amorebieta-Etxano with something of an angle towards the rugged coastline of the Basque country. On the way there, we have to cope with two climbs. For the amateur cyclist like me, a challenge. According to Haimar, it's just 'to let the breakaway of the day' get away. The Alto de Trabakua is almost five kilometres long at 5.4 per cent. The Milloi is a bit shorter with less than two and a half kilometres at around five per cent. Leaving the sleeping town behind, we roll past other places like Durango first. and negotiate the Trabakua, I notice that I do not yet have the right legs for the day. Haimar and my other travelling companions happily paddle away. I don't like it yet. Haimar drops back a bit and points into the distance: 'There is the factory of Orbea'. Basque cycling culture is literally there for the taking here.
Heated
I still find it a bit hard to grasp that these are just 'warm-ups'. For me, that has been more than achieved after the Trabakua. I almost forget to look around at the hilly and green landscape. The roads here meander between the natural humps. The descent of the Trabakua is one to frame. Haimar takes the lead and we whiz behind him. The road is super clear and the speedometer soon hits 80 kilometres per hour. Hands in the stirrups and off we go! It's fun like this. That Grand Depart Basque Country can't come soon enough as far as I'm concerned.
Milloi as final bump
The descent is followed by the ascent of Milloi. This is also nicely marked along the side of the road. At the top, you find the figures and there you see that you had to give a bit more than stated in the route book. You do feel the spike to almost ten per cent. The fact that Haimar easily digests all this says it all. He is fit. On top of Milloi we stop for a pee break. 'Now the best part is coming' says Haimar. He knows because the organisation consulted him to get this stage on paper.
The coast calls
We finally roll into Lekeitio after the short descent of the Milloi. A beautiful coastal town, but as with all coastal towns here, they have a history with two faces. The lovely views over the bay and the Bay of Biscay disguise the history in which drugs and the independence struggle played an important role. Haimar does not want to say too much about it, but you sense that it matters to him. Many young lives here have taken a different turn than parents and loved ones would have liked. That too is the Basque region. Anyway, we take some nice pictures here and mostly enjoy the beauty of the town and the view. We get closer and closer to Zarautz and Haimar feels more in his element with every metre of cycling
Starpower - then anyway
We roll out of town and see big signs that do not bode well. The road is closed. 'Let's see if we can get past,' says Haimar. We slowly roll on and we reach the roadblock. Fresh asphalt is being laid. No chance, you might say. The sturdy Basque holding us back seems to exude the same. We turn on Haimar. A conversation with the best man follows. Haimar explains that we are a group of journalists exploring the place. The man just barely laughs at him. Haha and I'm the Pope see 'm thinking. Until Steven comes around the corner with his video equipment and shows Stijn his camera. Suddenly you can see the man thinking: wait, this is Haimar Zubeldia and these are indeed journalists! His attitude changes, he becomes amicable, we laugh, joke and with a broad smile he shows us the way. 'Just walk along the side, asphalt is still hot, then you can go on like this'. Thank you and thanks to Haimar ;))
Pearl of the Grand Depart Basque Country
We have 'cobbled' and are now back on the road over the route. One thing is for sure, the tour gets a nice patch of tarmac. Several more towns like Ondorroa and Mutriku follow. 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 roads here. The closer to hometown Zaurautz, the more he beams. The road undulates up and down again.
No tight dune path here, but slopes that hurt every amateur cyclist. According to Haimar, too little to break the peloton. The climb of the Itziar, which is irregular and, at six kilometres long, a typical Basque climb, is not going to change that.
Zarautz
Then it's a long trot towards Zarautz In Zarautz we settle down on the promenade. The sun breaks through and we enjoy a nice, late lunch. This chic seaside resort is a good place to be. We shoot some photos with the local hero and it strikes us how quietly he can move around here. No craziness with all sorts of photo questions. Surely this is really Haimar Zubeldia, who is a regular on Basque TV. Nice to notice.
San Sebastian - with another pimple in front of it
To get to San Sebastian, we have to overcome a 'small climb'. I remember from the year before that this is no joke. Harken to the top, that's the motto. Haimar puts me to shame here: outer leaf, mouth shut and he paddles past me. He can barely contain his laughter. Man, man, thanks a lot! But no kidding, this is really enjoyable. Despite it hurting my legs a bit.
Ready for the Tour?
In San Sebastian, there is still little sign of the Tour's arrival. No big announcements, no major roadworks. As we settle down for a cup of coffee and a delectable cake at Oiartzun, behind the town hall, we see the first image. A yellow jersey hanging from the town hall. At the back, though. The Tour has yet to land here. From here, the peloton heads towards the border with France. On stage three, the riders leave the Jaizkibel conveniently left behind. Another wave and a turn and the finish in Bayonne is already in sight.
Enjoy at Hotel Arima
The many cycle paths and 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 cellar with ample locking facilities, a fantastic breakfast and dinner plus the spa provide great care for tired riders' legs.
