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Vuelta al País Vasco (World Tour)
Tour of the Basque Country
Euskal Herriko txirrindulari itzulia
Winners, podium, distance, average speed
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 1: 1909 - 1970 is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
The race:
The Tour of the Basque Country is held in April. The first edition was held in 1924 but between 1936 and 1968 the race was on hiatus.
The Circuit du Nord and GP de Bilbao stage races were held between 1939 and 1945 in the Basque area, but they are not considered editions of the the Vuelta al País Vasco.
The race is held in hilly territory and the stages are characterized by sharp, short climbs.
The Tour of the Basque Country's "World Tour" status and a quick perusal of the race's winners show that the event carries a lot of prestige.
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Complete podium history:
Year |
1st Place |
2nd Place |
3rd Place |
Distance |
Average Speed |
| 1924 | Francis Pélissier 22hr 46min 36sec |
Henri Pélissier @ 14min 54sec |
Charles Lacquehay @ s.t. |
623 km | 27.353 |
| 1925 | August Verdyck 24hr 50min 34sec |
Joseph Pé @ 5min 33sec |
Marcel Bidot @ 9min 40sec |
670 km | 26.970 |
| 1926 | Nicolas Frantz 26hr 14min 9sec(?) |
Ottavio Bottecchia @ 5min 39sec |
Victor Fontan @ 8min 39sec |
746 km | 28.434 (?) |
| 1927 | Victor Fontan 26hr 33min 16sec |
André Leducq @ 6min 24sec |
Lucien Buysse @ 15min 27sec |
747 km | 28.131 |
| 1928 | Maurice Dewaele 27hr 18min 41sec |
André Leducq @ 12min 20sec |
Mariano Canardo @ 12min 32sec |
762 km | 27.900 |
| 1929 | Maurice Dewaele 24hr 27min 55sec |
Marcel Bidot @ 4min 35sec |
Nicolas Frantz @ 7mi 16sec |
723 km | 29.552 |
| 1930 | Mariano Canardo 26hr 36min 31sec |
Antonin Magne @ 50sec |
Jean Aerts @ 50sec |
723 km | 27.172 |
| 1931-1934 | Race not held | ||||
| 1935 | Gino Bartali 30hr 9min 28sec |
Dante Gianello @ 47sec |
Julian Berrendero @ 3min 31sec |
873 km | 28.948 |
| 1936-1968 | Race not held | ||||
| 1969 | Jacques Anquetil 25hr 22min 5sec |
Francisco Gabica @ 32sec |
Mariano Diaz @ 40sec |
891 km | 35.123 |
| 1970 | Luis-Pedro Santamarina 25hr 45sec |
Jesus Aranzabal @ 41sec |
Andreas Gandarias @ 49sec |
877 km | 35.062 |
| 1971 | Luis Ocaña 24hr 31min 53sec |
Raymond Poulidor @ 1min 6sec |
Miguel Maria Lasa @ 1min 10sec |
875 km | 35.667 |
| 1972 | José-Antonio Gonzáles-Linares 23hr 17min 47sec |
Jesus Manzaneque @ 9min |
Jesus Esperanza @ 9min 31sec |
810 km | 34.769 |
| 1973 | Luis Ocaña 17hr 56min 21sec |
Jose-Antonio González-Linares @ 40sec |
Domingo Perurena @ 1min 43sec |
639 km | 35.620 |
| 1974 | Miguel-Maria Lasa 26hr 46min 36sec |
Jesus Manzaneque @ 8sec |
Luis Ocaña @ 37sec |
888 km | 33.163 |
| 1975 | José-Antonio González-Linares 24hr 30min 30sec |
Jesus Manzaneque @ 20sec |
Agustin Tamames @ 38sec |
830 km | 33.866 |
| 1976 | Giambattista Baronchelli 21hr 19min 49sec |
Javier Elorriaga @ 1min 5sec |
Joaquin Agostinho @ 1min 15sec | 763.5 km | 35.794 |
| 1977 | José-Antonio González-Linares 17hr 23min 32sec |
Paul Wellens @ 30sec |
Jean-Pierre Baert @ 1min 24sec |
640 km | 36.798 |
| 1978 | José-Antonio González-Linares 22hr 36min 33sec |
Enrique Cima @ 5min 24sec |
José Nazabal @ 5min 26sec |
811 km | 35.870 |
| 1979 | Giovanni Battaglin 23hr 53min 8sec |
Vicente Belda @ 2min 9sec |
Miguel-Maria Lasa @ 2min 26sec |
826.5 km | 34.603 |
| 1980 | Alberto Fernández 24hr 57min 56sec |
Miguel-Maria Lasa @ 47sec |
Marino Lejaretta @ 1min 32sec |
907.2 km | 36.338 |
| 1981 | Silvano Contini 22hr 7min 30sec |
Mario Beccia @ 33sec |
Marino Lejaretta @ 40sec |
812.6 km | 36.728 |
| 1982 | José-Louis Laguia 22hr 9min 7sec |
Julián Gorospe @ 4sec |
Francesco Moser @ 7sec |
875.3 km | 39.513 |
| 1983 | Julián Gorospe 23hr 5min 31sec |
Roberto Visentini @ 36sec |
Marino Lejaretta @ 38sec |
866 km | 37.502 |
| 1984 | Sean Kelly 22hr 29min 28sec |
Faustino Ruperez @ 2min 30sec (Julián Gorospe was 2nd, DQ'd for dope) |
Marino Lejaretta @ 5min 2sec |
867.1 km | 38.553 |
| 1985 | Pello Ruiz-Cabestany 22hr 44min 27sec |
Greg LeMond @ 29sec |
Marino Lejaretta @ 46sec |
877 km | 38.565 |
| 1986 | Sean Kelly 20hr 21min 53sec |
Maurizio Rossi @ 18sec |
Federico Echave @ 1min 8sec |
787.7 km | 38.680 |
| 1987 | Sean Kelly 22hr 16min 31sec |
Rolf Gölz @ 1min 13sec |
Julián Gorospe @ 1min 17sec |
852.7 km | 38.280 |
| 1988 | Erik Breukink 21hr 11min 16sec |
Luc Suykerbuyk @ 24sec |
Julián Gorospe @ 26sec |
852.8 km | 40.250 |
| 1989 | Stephen Roche 17hr 14min 7sec |
Federico Echave @ 1sec |
Jesus Blanco-Villar @ 3sec |
676.1 km | 39.278 |
| 1990 | Julián Gorospe 21hr 1min 29sec |
Rolf Gölz @ 20sec |
Miguel Indurain @ 22sec |
824.5 km | 39.216 |
| 1991 | Claudio Chiappucci 19hr 56min 9sec |
Johan Bruyneel @ 2min 17sec |
Piotr Ugrumov @ 2min 39sec |
792 km | 39.587 |
| 1992 | Tony Rominger 20hr 56min 57sec |
Raul Alcala @ 40sec |
Mikel Zarrabeitia @ 47sec |
806.1 km | 38.479 |
| 1993 | Tony Rominger 22hr 59min 55sec |
Rolf Sørensen @ 8sec |
Alex Zülle @ 23sec |
881.5 km | 38.328 |
| 1994 | Tony Rominger 23hr 25min 4sec |
Evgeni Berzin @ 43sec |
Claudio Chiappucci @ 58sec |
868.8 km | 37.100 |
| 1995 | Alex Zülle 19hr 54min 28sec |
Laurent Jalabert @ 1min 16sec |
Tony Rominger @ 2min 25sec |
799 km | 40.135 |
| 1996 | Francesco Casagrande 20hr 50min 21sec |
Pascal Hervé @ 3sec |
Abraham Olano @ 27sec |
817.5 km | 39.229 |
| 1997 | Alex Zülle 22hr 36min 40sec |
Laurent Jalabert @ 32sec |
Marco Pantani @ 44sec |
859.5 km | 38.012 |
| 1998 | Iñigo Cuesta 23hr 37min 47sec |
Laurent Jalabert @ 3sec |
Alex Zülle @ 1min 36sec |
887 km | 37.537 |
| 1999 | Laurent Jalabert 21hr 36min 11sec |
Wladimir Belli @ 51sec |
Davide Rebellin @ 1min 1sec |
838.7 km | 38.823 |
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| 2000 | Andreas Klöden 21hr 53min 28sec |
Danilo Di Luca @ 5sec |
Laurent Jalabert @ 31sec |
822.5 km | 37.558 |
| 2001 | Raimondas Rumsas 18hr 42min 54sec |
Alberto Martinez @ 5sec |
Antonio-Marcos Serrano @ 7sec |
752.2 km | 40.192 |
| 2002 | Aitor Osa 18hr 4min 53sec |
David Etxebarria @ 2min 36sec |
Gonzalo Bayarri @ 2min 53sec |
755.2 km | 41.767 |
| 2003 | Iban Mayo 18hr 59min 23sec |
Tyler Hamilton @ 12sec |
Samuel Sánchez @ 23sec |
753 km | 39.653 |
| 2004 | Denis Menchov 19hr 25min 46sec |
Iban Mayo @ 21sec |
David Etxebarria @ 22sec |
766.5 km | 39.450 |
| 2005 | Danilo Di Luca 18hr 13min 53sec |
Davide Rebellin @ 3sec |
Alberto Contador @ 11sec |
743.3 km | 40.770 |
| 2006 | José Angel Gomez Marchante 20hr 31min 47sec |
Alejandro Valverde @ 7sec |
Antonio Colom @ s.t. |
829 km | 40.380 |
| 2007 | Juan José Cobo 21hr 56min 38sec |
Angel Vicioso @ 37sec |
Samuel Sánchez @ 1min 16sec |
862.5 km | 39.304 |
| 2008 | Alberto Contador 21hr 3min 59sec |
Cadel Evans @ 30sec |
Thomas Dekker @ 35sec |
838 km | 39.779 |
| 2009 | Alberto Contador 20hr 48min 30sec |
Antonio Colom @ 30sec |
Samuel Sánchez @ 53sec |
833 km | 40.032 |
| 2010 | Christopher Horner 23hr 27min 30sec |
Alejandro Valverde @ 7sec |
Beñat Intxausti @ 58sec |
919 km | 39.163 |
| 2011 | Andreas Klöden 22hr 12min 11sec |
Christopher Horner @ 47sec |
Robert Gesink @ s.t. |
874.2 km | 39.373 |
| 2012 | Samuel Sanchez 20hr 58min 15sec |
Joaquin Rodriguez @ 12sec |
Bauke Mollema @ 42sec |
835.6 km | 39.846 |
| 2013 | Nairo Quintana 21hr 39min 35sec |
Richie Porte @ 23sec |
Sergio Henao @ 34sec |
831 km | 38.366 |
| 2014 | Alberto Contador 21hr 9min 11sec |
Michal Kwiatkowski @ 49sec |
Jean-Christophe Péraud @ 1min 4sec |
840.8 km | 39.748 |
| 2015 | Joaquin Rodriguez 21hr 49min 38sec |
Sergio Henao @ 13sec |
Jon Izaguirre @ 29sec |
844.8 km | 38.704 |
| 2016 | Alberto Contador 22hr 44min 43sec |
Sergio Henao @ 12sec |
Nairo Quintana @ 37sec |
853.2 km | 37.511 km/hr |
| 2017 | Alejandro Valverde 20hr 41min 25sec |
Alberto Contador @ 17sec |
Jon Izaguirre @ 21sec |
828.8 km | 40.575 km/hr |
| 2018 | Primoz Roglic 20hr 53min 47sec |
Mikel Landa @ 1min 9sec |
Ion Izagirre @ 1min 42sec |
819.9 km | 39.236 km/hr |
| 2019 | Ion Izagirre 19hr 24min 9sec |
Dan Martin @ 29sec |
Emauel Buchmann @ 31sec |
783.7 km | 40.392 km/hr |
| 2020 | Race cancelled because of Coronavirus pandemic | ||||
| 2021 | Primoz Roglic 19hr 11min 36sec |
Jonas Vingegaard @ 52sec |
Tadej Pogacar @ 1min 7sec |
797.6 km | 41.556 km/hr |
| 2022 | Daniel Martinez 21hr 59min 36sec |
Ion Izagirre @ 11sec |
Aleksandr Vlasov @ 16sec |
882.2 km | 40.112 Km/hr |
| 2023 | Jonas Vingegaard 21hr 8min 52sec |
Mikel Landa @ 13sec |
Mattias Skjelmose @ 32sec |
862.2 km |
40.770 km/hr |
| 2024 | Juan Ayuso 15hr 56min 50sec |
Carlos Rodriguez @ 42sec |
Mattias Skjelmose @ 43sec |
674.6 km | 43.302 km/hr |
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