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Pello Bilbao earns his first stage win at Tour de France in punishing ride

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It was an emotional — and punishing — first win at the Tour de France for Pello Bilbao on Tuesday.

The Spanish cyclist sprinted to victory at the end of the tricky 10th stage and also gained significant time in the overall standings, which are still led by Jonas Vingegaard.

Bilbao raised his arms above his head in celebration at the end of one of the hardest stages of the Tour so far, finishing the undulating 104-mile route from Vulcania to Issoire just ahead of Georg Zimmermann and Ben O’Connor in the sweltering heat of central France.

The Bahrain-Victorious rider immediately dedicated his win to former teammate and friend Gino Mäder, who died last month from injuries suffered in a crash at the Tour de Suisse.

“I closed the gap with O’Connor first and then, with cold blood, let Zimmermann make his sprint, go on the wheel and just [went] full the last 200 meters without thinking of nothing,” Bilbao said. “And then I crossed the line and I just put out all the energy that I had inside and remembering the reason of this victory.

“A special one, for Gino.”

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Bilbao had announced pre-Tour that he would be following in the actions of Mäder, by donating one euro for every rider he beats on each stage toward funding to replant trees in areas of deforestation.

He beat 168 riders on Tuesday.

Most of the overall contenders finished just over three minutes back and that saw Bilbao move from 11th to fifth, less than two minutes off the podium.

Defending champion Vingegaard maintained his 17-second advantage over two-time winner Tadej Pogačar. Jai Hindley was in third place, 2 minutes and 40 seconds off the pace.

After the first rest day on Monday, the Tour kicked off the second week with a difficult stage featuring five categorized climbs and almost no flat sections. The soaring temperatures were made even more brutal by the heat reflecting off the roads.

It was relentless from the start and many riders were clearly suffering, but eventually a break of 14 formed.

Krists Neilands looked like one of the strongest of the 14 and he attacked on the final climb, crossing the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse with a 30-second advantage. However, he was chased down by Bilbao on the descent and caught with just over 1.9 miles remaining.

“Everybody was on the limit, Neilands did an impressive attack,” Bilbao said. “I think he was the strongest one, but he spent a lot of energy with the hot wind in the face.

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“In the back group, we just collaborated in the right way and then in the last 3 kilometers I knew that [I] was the fastest man in the group, so I just took the control.”

Neilands eventually finished in fourth for Israel-Premier Tech.

“It was a really tough stage,” Neilands said. “It was hard, it was hot, but it was great to be there on the road and we did a really good race as a team and we were always there in the moves and I think we raced really good and we did the maximum we could do today and it just didn’t work out.”

O’Connor was the first to attack but Bilbao quickly followed, with Zimmermann swiftly catching up. Bilbao launched his sprint off Zimmermann’s wheel and held him and O’Connor off for the win.

“I hadn’t experienced such a day on a bike for a while,” O’Connor said. “The start of the stage was absolutely brutal. I’m really happy to have managed to get into the breakaway after such a battle.

“With the heat, you had to stay focused at all times and not crack mentally. Even if I was off the back a bit, I always believed in it. In the last kilometers, I tried to maneuver as well as possible to try to escape my breakaway companions and win the stage. I didn’t manage it so I’m definitely a little disappointed.”

Wednesday’s 11th stage features three lower-category climbs on the 112-mile route from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins and is expected to end in a sprint finish.

The Tour ends in Paris on July 23.

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Pello Bilbao wins 1st Tour de France stage, jumps to 5th overall

• Associated Press

ISSOIRE, France -- It was an emotional first win at the Tour de France for Pello Bilbao on Tuesday.

The Spanish cyclist sprinted to victory at the end of the tricky 10th stage and also gained significant time in the overall standings, which are still led by Jonas Vingegaard.

Bilbao raised his arms above his head in celebration at the end of one of the hardest stages of the Tour so far, finishing the undulating 167-kilometer (104-mile) route from Vulcania to Issoire just ahead of Georg Zimmermann and Ben O'Connor in the sweltering heat of central France.

The Bahrain-Victorious rider immediately dedicated his win to former teammate and friend Gino Mäder, who died last month from injuries suffered in a crash at the Tour de Suisse.

"I closed the gap with O'Connor first and then, with cold blood, let Zimmermann make his sprint, go on the wheel and just [went] full the last 200 meters without thinking of nothing," Bilbao said. "And then I crossed the line and I just put out all the energy that I had inside and remembering the reason of this victory.

"A special one, for Gino."

Bilbao had announced pre-Tour that he would be following in the actions of Mäder, by donating one Euro for every rider he beats on each stage toward funding to replant trees in areas of deforestation.

He beat 168 riders on Tuesday.

Most of the overall contenders finished just over three minutes further back and that saw Bilbao move up from 11th to fifth, less than two minutes off the podium.

Defending champion Vingegaard maintained his 17-second advantage over two-time winner Tadej Pogačar. Jai Hindley was in third place, 2 minutes, 40 seconds off the pace.

After the first rest day on Monday, the Tour kicked off the second week with a difficult stage featuring five categorized climbs and almost no flat sections. The soaring temperatures were made even more brutal by the heat reflecting off the roads.

It was relentless from the start and many riders were clearly suffering. But eventually a break of 14 formed.

Krists Neilands looked like one of the strongest of the 14 and he attacked on the final climb, crossing the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse with a 30-second advantage. However, he was chased down by Bilbao on the descent and caught with just over 3 kilometers remaining.

"Everybody was on the limit, Neilands did an impressive attack," Bilbao said. "I think he was the strongest one, but he spent a lot of energy with the hot wind in the face.

"In the back group, we just collaborated in the right way and then in the last 3 kilometers I knew that [I] was the fastest man in the group, so I just took the control."

Neilands eventually finished in fourth for Israel-Premier Tech.

"It was a really tough stage," Neilands said. "It was hard, it was hot, but it was great to be there on the road and we did a really good race as a team and we were always there in the moves and I think we raced really good and we did the maximum we could do today and it just didn't work out."

O'Connor was the first to attack as he knew the sprint didn't suit him, but Bilbao was straight on him, with Zimmermann swiftly catching up. But Bilbao launched his sprint off Zimmermann's wheel and held him and O'Connor off for the win.

"I hadn't experienced such a day on a bike for a while," O'Connor said. "The start of the stage was absolutely brutal. I'm really happy to have managed to get into the breakaway after such a battle.

"With the heat, you had to stay focused at all times and not crack mentally. Even if I was off the back a bit, I always believed in it. In the last kilometers, I tried to maneuver as well as possible to try to escape my breakaway companions and win the stage. I didn't manage it so I'm definitely a little disappointed."

Wednesday's 11th stage features three lower-category climbs on the 180-kilometer (112-mile) route from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins and is expected to end in a sprint finish.

The Tour ends in Paris on July 23.

Pello Bilbao reignites GC bid with Tour de France stage 10 victory

Spaniard catapults himself from eleventh to fifth with breakaway win

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Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) pulled off an impressive Tour de France GC raid on Tuesday, winning from the breakaway on stage 10, and rising to fifth overall. 

The Spaniard was part of a five-rider group that chased Israel-Premier Tech's Krists Neilands in the closing kilometres. Once the catch was made, he reacted quickly to attacks, and launched his own race-winning sprint with 200m to go. 

Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) finished second, with Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citröen) in third. 

“I just wanted to make the right group,” Bilbao said after the stage. “We needed to go full in the front, everyone was on the limit, Neilands did an impressive attack. I think he was the strongest one but he spent a lot of energy.

"In the last 3km, I knew I was the fastest man in the group, so I just took control.” 

In his post-race interview, the Bahrain Victorious rider pointed to the Ride For Gino tribute on his jersey, in memory of Gino Mäder who died last month . "I crossed the line and I just put out all the anger I had inside and remembered the reason of this victory," he said, his voice cracking. "A special one. For Gino.” 

Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) continues to hold the yellow jersey, with his 17-second advantage to Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) unchanged. 

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How it happened

With fresh legs aplenty after Monday’s rest day, the racing began at a relentless pace from the flag drop in Vulcania. Immediately, the sprinters dropped out the back, stage hunters peeled off the front, and the GC teams frantically policed attacks. The peloton was left shredded, gasping in the 40°C heat. 

The electric start took David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich) by surprise, with both Frenchmen losing the wheel in the first 20km. The gap from them to the peloton stretched out to around two minutes, before they were towed back into contention by their teammates and the French public breathed a sigh of relief. 

It would take almost 60km of full-tilt racing before the mood settled and the breakaway formed. Initially composed of seven riders, the group doubled around the stage’s midway point, with Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step), Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), O'Connor and Bilbao among the biggest names present.

With 85km to go, Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost) sprung out of the front group on the fourth of five categorised climbs. His attack, however, was short-lived, and he rejoined his breakaway companions. 

In a similar vein, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) shot out of the peloton with 45km remaining, threatening to spoil the breakaway's day. The pace, however, proved too high to bridge across, and the life-long rivals were reabsorbed by the bunch. 

Up ahead, Neilands tried his luck from range. The Latvian initially tried a two-pronged attack with Alaphilippe, before wriggling away himself, and stretching out a 30-second advantage. He led solo over the final climb, the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse, but was reeled in with 3km to go by a five-rider group spearheaded by Bilbao. 

The Spaniard's kick is well known in the peloton, so it was no surprise when the other leaders tried to disrupt a sprint finish. O'Connor attacked first, but Bilbao latched himself onto the AG2R rider's wheel. Then came Zimmermann's attempt, and Bilbao did the same again. 

The Bahrain Victorious rider then took charge on the front, leading out his own sprint which he unleashed in the final 200m. Nobody else could follow. 

Thanks to the almost three minutes accrued by the breakaway, the victory propelled Bilbao up the general classification, from eleventh at the start of the day to fifth. He now sits 12 seconds off fourth-placed Carlos Rodríguez, with the Alps beckoning. 

Tour de France, stage 10: Vulcania > Issoire (167.2km)

1. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious, in 3-52-34 2. Georg Zimmermann (Ger) Intermarché-Circus-Wanty 3. Ben O'Connor (Aus) AG2R Citröen 4. Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel-Premier Tech 5. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Education-EasyPost, all at same time 6. Antonio Pedrero (Esp) Movistar, at 3s 7. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek 8. Michal Kiwatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers, both at 27s 9. Warren Barguil (Fra) Arkéa Samsic, at 30s 10. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Soudal-Quick Step, at 32s

General classification after stage 10

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma, in 42-33-33 2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 17s 3. Jai Hindley (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 2-40 4. Carlos Rodríguez (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, at 4-22 5. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious, at 4-34 6. Adam Yates (GBr) UAE Team Emirates, at 4-39 7. Simon Yates (GBr) Jayco AlUla, at 4-44 8. Tom Pidcock (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 5-26 9. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 6-01 10. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma, at 6-45

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Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast , which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders. 

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. 

He's also fluent in French and Spanish and holds a master's degree in International Journalism. 

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Tour de France: 'I just let out all the anger' – Pello Bilbao dedicates win to late team-mate Gino Mader

Updated 11/07/2023 at 18:06 GMT

Gino Mader died in June after crashing into a ravine at the Tour of Switzerland. Less than one month later, his Bahrain Victorious team-mate Pello Bilbao claimed victory at the Tour de France before dedicating it to his late friend. Bilbao is raising money for an environmental cause that was close to Mader's heart at the Tour, while #rideforGino stickers are being displayed in the peloton.

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Spain’s Pello Bilbao wins Stage 10 of Tour de France

ISSOIRE, France — It was an emotional — and costly — first win at the Tour de France for Pello Bilbao on Tuesday.

The Spanish cyclist sprinted to victory at the end of the tricky 10th stage and also gained significant time in the overall standings, which are still led by Jonas Vingegaard.

Bilbao raised his arms above his head in celebration at the end of one of the hardest stages of the Tour so far, finishing the undulating 167-kilometer (104-mile) route from Vulcania to Issoire just ahead of Georg Zimmermann and Ben O’Connor in the sweltering heat of central France.

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The Bahrain-Victorious rider immediately dedicated his win to former teammate and friend Gino Mäder, who died last month from injuries suffered in a crash at the Tour de Suisse.

“I closed the gap with O’Connor first and then, with cold blood, let Zimmermann make his sprint, go on the wheel, and just [went] full the last 200 meters without thinking of nothing,” Bilbao said. “And then I crossed the line and I just put out all the energy that I had inside and remembering the reason of this victory.

“A special one, for Gino.”

Bilbao had announced pre-Tour that he would be following in the actions of Mäder, by donating one Euro for every rider he beats on each stage toward funding to replant trees in areas of deforestation.

He beat 168 riders on Tuesday.

Most of the overall contenders finished a little more than three minutes further back and that saw Bilbao move up from 11th to fifth, less than two minutes off the podium.

Defending champion Vingegaard maintained his 17-second advantage over two-time winner Tadej Pogačar. Jai Hindley was in third place, 2:40 off the pace.

After the first rest day on Monday, the Tour kicked off the second week with a difficult stage featuring five categorized climbs and almost no flat sections. The soaring temperatures were made even more brutal by the heat reflecting off the roads.

It was relentless from the start and many riders were clearly suffering. But eventually a break of 14 formed.

Krists Neilands looked like one of the strongest of the 14 and he attacked on the final climb, crossing the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse with a 30-second advantage. However, he was chased down by Bilbao on the descent and caught with a little more than 3 kilometers remaining.

“Everybody was on the limit, Neilands did an impressive attack,” Bilbao said. “I think he was the strongest one, but he spent a lot of energy with the hot wind in the face.

“In the back group, we just collaborated in the right way and then in the last 3 kilometers I knew that [I] was the fastest man in the group, so I just took the control.”

Neilands eventually finished in fourth for Israel-Premier Tech.

“It was a really tough stage,” Neilands said. “It was hard, it was hot, but it was great to be there on the road and we did a really good race as a team and we were always there in the moves, and I think we raced really good and we did the maximum we could do today and it just didn’t work out.”

O’Connor was the first to attack as he knew the sprint didn’t suit him, but Bilbao was straight on him, with Zimmermann swiftly catching up. But Bilbao launched his sprint off Zimmermann’s wheel and held him and O’Connor off for the win.

“I hadn’t experienced such a day on a bike for a while,” O’Connor said. “The start of the stage was absolutely brutal. I’m really happy to have managed to get into the breakaway after such a battle.

“With the heat, you had to stay focused at all times and not crack mentally. Even if I was off the back a bit, I always believed in it. In the last kilometers, I tried to maneuver as well as possible to try to escape my breakaway companions and win the stage. I didn’t manage it so I’m definitely a little disappointed.”

Wednesday’s 11th stage features three lower-category climbs on the 180-kilometer (112-mile) route from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins and is expected to end in a sprint finish.

The Tour ends in Paris on July 23.

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Bilbao Dedicates His Victory to Mäder: ‘I needed to to do my best for Gino’

Bahrain Victorious’s Pello Bilbao turned personal grief into professional glory with his maiden victory at the Tour de France, dedicating his triumph on stage ten to his recently deceased teammate, Gino Mäder. Mäder, who tragically passed away following a crash at the Tour de Suisse last month, has remained a constant influence within the cycling community. His memory is being honored, among other ways, through the #rideforGino stickers proudly displayed across the peloton.

Born in the Basque Country, where the Tour began this year, Bilbao found strength not only through his determination but also the love and support of his family. “The team did offer psychological help but in the end, for me, the best psychological help was to go on and stay with with my family, especially with my daughter Matilda… because kids don’t understand these difficult situations and so it was easier to forget all the difficult emotions we were feeling,” he explained.

His commitment to honoring Mäder’s memory doesn’t stop at the finish line. Bilbao has committed to donating €1 to a reforestation charity – a cause that Mäder cherished – for every rider who finishes a stage behind him. In a grander gesture of tribute, he has pledged to double his donation for each stage victory.

🏆 #TDF2023 – stage 10 👆 𝑷𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒃𝒂𝒐 pic.twitter.com/tQKbhpL1f8 — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 11, 2023

Despite the emotional weight of the recent weeks, Bilbao expressed his resolve during the pre-Tour training. He mentioned, “Slowly I started to feel better on the bike to believe that I had good legs that I needed to do my best for Gino and also to try to enjoy this special moment for me because starting the Tour de France in your home isn’t something that happens to everybody.”

Bilbao’s victory in the Massif Central came under challenging conditions, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. The rest day preceding the stage was crucial for Bilbao, allowing him to fully hydrate and prepare for the intense heat.

“The last three weeks have been really tense,” he shared, highlighting the heightened emotions of starting the race in his homeland. Yet, he maintained his poise, and took control of the race with a clear vision and effective decision-making, leading to his triumphant win.

While Bilbao is the one standing in the limelight, he was quick to acknowledge the support of his fellow riders. His victory may be a personal one, but for team Bahrain Victorious, it is a testament to their collective resilience, offering a ray of hope amidst the heartbreak.

Stage 10 results

1. Pello Bilbao, Bahrain Victorious, 03:52:34 2. Georg Zimmermann, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, +0:00 3. Ben O’Connor, AG2R Citroën Team, +0:00 4. Krists Neilands, Israel-Premier Tech, +0:00 5. Esteban Chaves, EF Education-EasyPost, +0:00 6. Antonio Pedrero, Movistar Team, +0:03 7. Mattias Skjelmose, Lidl-Trek, +0:27 8. Michal Kwiatkowski, INEOS Grenadiers, +0:27 9. Warren Barguil, Team Arkéa-Samsic, +0:30 10. Julian Alaphilippe, Soudal Quick-Step, +0:32

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Tour de France: Pello Bilbao pays tribute to Gino Mäder after Tour de France stage 10 win

Bilbao outsprints georg zimmermann for emotional victory as stifling heat make for tough conditions.

Spanish rider Pello Bilbao celebrates as pips German rider Georg Zimmermann to win the 10th stage of the Tour de France between Vulcania and Issoire in the Massif Central. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat

As he celebrated his first stage win in the Tour de France, Pello Bilbao pointed initially to the sky and then to his heart, in tribute to his former Bahrain Victorious team-mate Gino Mäder, who died while descending at speed in the Tour of Switzerland less than a month ago.

Bilbao won stage 10 to Issoire, after outsprinting Georg Zimmermann, racing for Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. The 33-year-old from Guernica was the fastest finisher from the remnants of a breakaway that eventually snuffed out the hopes of the lone attacker, Krists Neilands, in the closing moments of the stage.

Bilbao admitted, however, that it had been difficult to suppress his feelings as he edged closer to victory. “The key today was to control my emotions,” he said. “The last three weeks have been really intense. Today was different. I started the stage with clear ideas and had the capacity to take control in the race.

“Everybody was on the limit. In the last three kilometres, I knew that I was the fastest in the group, so I just took responsibility. When I crossed the line, I put out all the energy that I had inside and remembered the reason for this victory,” Bilbao said.

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His win was, he said, “a special one, for Gino”. After his victory, an air of poignancy hung over the Tour convoy. Mäder, just 26 when he died, had been a good friend to Bilbao, even naming his rescue dog “Pello” after his Basque team-mate.

When the 2023 Tour had started in Bilbao, a huge image of a smiling Mäder, a dedicated environmentalist, had been the backdrop to the presentation of his former team’s riders.

The death of Mäder and the sense of loss within the peloton continues to be felt deeply, including by the race leader, Jonas Vingegaard. “It’s awful what happened in Switzerland,” the Jumbo-Visma rider said. “It’s so bad that I can’t even imagine how it must feel.

“It is so sad. I am feeling with them [his team-mates] and with Gino’s family as well. I’m happy that they’re doing well and that they’re doing it for Gino.”

Bilbao acknowledged the difficulties he had faced following his team-mate’s death, including a new and unexpected fear of descending. “It’s been hard,” he said. “When we left the race in Switzerland, everybody was affected.

“The best help was to go home and stay with my family and with my daughter, because kids don’t fully understand these difficult situations. With her, it was easier to forget.”

In what was the first Tour win by a Spanish rider for five years, Bilbao also leapfrogged into the higher reaches of the general classification. Twice fifth overall in the Giro d’Italia, he is now fifth overall in the Tour, just 12 seconds behind fourth-placed Carlos Rodríguez of Ineos Grenadiers.

“The priority was to fight for the stage win,” Bilbao said, “but I have made a great jump. Today I spent a lot [of energy] but I hope I can recover and try to be as competitive as possible.”

As furnace conditions enveloped the Massif Central, the local fire services sprayed spectators with cold water, and the day’s five categorised climbs proved as debilitating as the steepest slopes in the Alps or Pyrenees. Among those suffering from a rude awakening, post-rest day, were David Gaudu and compatriot Romain Bardet.

Ahead of the main peloton, a 14-rider group that included Bilbao, Zimmermann and Neilands, moved ahead, as temperatures climbed into the high 30s.

The gruelling stage, raced through the chain of hills to the south of Clermont-Ferrand, was initially animated by a frenzy of attacking that at one point saw a select group, including defending champion Vingegaard and closest rival Tadej Pogacar slip away from the rest of the peloton.

That ambush led to a furious chase by Tom Pidcock’s Ineos Grenadiers team. The main favourites regrouped soon after, although the damage had already been done to many of those struggling to find their legs at the rear of the race. – Guardian

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TOUR’23 Stage 10: A Hot Break Goes All The Way for Bilbao!

Pello bilbao wins in issoire.

Tour Stage Report: After a chaotic start with The yellow jersey, Jonas Vingegaard and second overall, Tadej Pogačar in the early moves, the race settled down for the break to go all the way to the finish. Bahrain Victorious’ Pello Bilbao took the stage honours and Vingegaard held the overall lead.

The final kilometre of stage 10

Pello Bilbao won the tenth stage of the Tour de France. The Basque climber of Bahrain Victorious won the sprint from a group of escapees in Issoire after a hotly contested stage and a thrilling final. The yellow jersey is still on the shoulders of Jonas Vingegaard.

Christian Prudhomme on stage 10: “After a well-deserved first day of rest in Clermont-Ferrand, the Massif Central will be on the programme again. It will be a hard task to get into the breakaway today. What’s more, the route’s passage through the Chaîne des Puys will leave the strongest riders at the front before going to Issoire.”

After the first rest day, the riders faced a stage with seven climbs, five categorised. The stage from Vulcania to Issoire included the Col de la Moreno (5.2km at 4.6%), Col de Guéry (7.9km at 4.8%) and the Col de la Croix Saint- Robert (7.3km at 5.7%), Côte de Saint-Victor-la-Rivière (2.6km at 6.5%) and the Côte de La Chapelle-Marcousse (4.2km at 6.4 %). The top of the last climb was less than 25 kilometres from the finish.

In the crazy first part of the stage, Vingegaard and Pogačar were on the attack and so there was a fierce battle to get into the break of the day. Attack attempts by Bryan Coquard and Wout van Aert were shut down, but an attack by Krists Neilands, Rémi Cavagna, Michal Kwiatkowski, Ion Izagirre, Corbin Strong and Anthon Charmig looked like it would succeed. These six strong riders got away, but there was a chase behind on the Col de la Moreno, the first climb of the day.

There was a counter-attack by a dozen riders in the peloton. On the descent of the Col de la Moreno, the two groups merged, with: Adam and Simon Yates, Romain Bardet, Louis Meintjes, David Gaudu and, surprisingly, Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. A real explosion seemed to be in the making, but with the Col de Guéry in sight, the GC men eased off. This allowed the peloton, where INEOS Grenadiers chased, to rejoin.

We had 13 riders off the including: Kwiatkowski, Izagirre, Alberto Bettiol, Maxim Van Gils and Louis Meintjes, but this break was short-lived. On the second climb of the day there was another regrouping and it was a matter of waiting for the next attack. Kwiatkowski, Meintjes and Neilands were once again on the attack, they were joined by Mattias Skjelmose and Clément Champoussin. Under the impulse of Julian Alaphilippe, everything came together again about 3 kilometres from the top of the Col de Guéry.

The peloton had thinned out considerably, with some big names in trouble. It was too fast for Mathieu van der Poel, who said before the start that he did not feel good, Valentin Madouas, Stefan Küng, plus David Gaudu and Romain Bardet, had to pay for their previous efforts. Wout van Aert wasn’t looking good either. A first group of about 50 riders crossed the top of the Col de Guéry with 140 kilometres to go.

After the descent of the Col de Guéry, there was a long wait until the intermediate sprint in Le Mont-Dore, but the speed was still high. Most riders were already at ‘full gas’, but for others it wasn’t fast enough. Skjelmose, Pello Bilbao, Esteban Chaves, Georg Zimmermann, Nick Schultz and Warren Barguil escaped from the first group. The gap increased to 20 seconds.

Asgreen, Chaves, Bilbao, Skjelmose, Zimmermann, Schultz and Barguil worked well together and managed to get further and further away of the peloton. It looked like the seven front riders would be joined by six counter-attackers. Ben O’Connor managed to get across, but Julian Alaphilippe, Anthony Perez, Antonio Pedrero and Harold Tejada were stranded on the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert. The lights went out for Asgreen, leaving seven riders at the top of the climb, where Barguil collect the most KOM points.

Peace had returned to the peloton and previously dropped riders: Bardet, Gaudu, Van Aert and Van der Poel were able to rejoin. The race eventually eased off after all the action and the riders were given time to catch their breath. Then Jumbo-Visma decided keep a good speed in the now considerably thinned peloton, so that the difference to the leading group continued to fluctuate around 2 minutes. The Dutch team also had a reason to chase. Pello Bilbao, in the leading group, was at 7 minutes overall.

After the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert, the seven were joined by the pursuers, to start the last 80 kilometres with 14 leaders: Asgreen and Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost), Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Schultz and Neilands (Israel-Premier Tech), Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic), Perez (Cofidis), Pedrero (Movistar), Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan), O’Connor (AG2R Citroën) and Kwiatkowski (INEOS Grenadiers).

It didn’t stay together for long, because on the penultimate climb, the Cat-3 Côte de Saint-Victor-la-Rivière, Chaves jumped away. The Colombian champion quickly took a lead of 30 seconds and was the first to the top of the climb, but he was quickly caught again. In the peloton Jumbo-Visma received help from Alpecin-Deceuninck in the pursuit of the leading group.

Van der Poel also started to work for his teammate Philipsen. Van der Poel cut some of the lead, but it increased again to 2:30. Van der Poel then attacked on a descent and had Wout van Aert on his wheel. The two decided to give it their best shot.

The duo managed to get 30 seconds away from the peloton towards the Côte de La Chapelle-Marcousse, the last climb of the day. The difference to the leading group was still more than 2 minutes. Once on the final climb, the leading group exploded. Neilands turned out to have the best legs and attacked with 4 kilometres to climb. The Latvian soon had 20 seconds on the first pursuers, as Chaves and Bilbao tried to close the gap.

The Colombian and Spaniard were no match for Neilands, as he got further and further ahead. At the top of the Côte de la Chapelle-Marcousse, Neilands had a lead of 40 seconds over Zimmermann, Bilbao, Chaves, Pedrero and O’Connor. Behind; Van der Poel and Van Aert had already been caught by the peloton, where INEOS Grenadiers set the pace for Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodríguez. At the front, Bilbao 11th overall, was not allowed to get too much space.

Neilands still had a nice lead on the escapees, but the stage wasn’t over yet for the Israel-Premier Tech rider. The pursuers were working well and the hunt for Neilands was on, and he was losing more and more of his strength. With 15 kilometres to go, the difference had shrunk to 15 seconds, but it turned out not to be easy to close the last gap. Neilands didn’t give in easily, but in the end it was inevitable.

At 3 kilometres from the finish, Neilands was caught. Alaphilippe-Kwiatkowski followed in a second group at 20 seconds and still had a small chance. O’Connor put in the first attack from the leaders, but the Australian was not allowed to go. A subsequent attempt by Zimmermann was more successful and the German, along with Bilbao, opened a gap.

Zimmermann and Bilbao looked like they would fight it out for the victory, but O’Connor and eventually the other escapees rejoined just before the final sprint. Bilbao didn’t panic and turned out to be the fastest finisher. The Spaniard dealt with Zimmermann to take a very emotional victory. Bilbao and his Bahrain Victorious team have gone through a difficult period after the death of Gino Mäder, but Bilbao was able to honour his deceased Swiss teammate today with a victory in the Tour de France.

Stage winner, Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious): “We started the stage fully focused. Yesterday we checked the first 40k and we mentalised it. We were expecting a hard race after a rest day. In a critical moment I checked and I saw it was 5 Bahrains within the top 20. Matej, Fred, Mikel, Jack – we all were attacking, going full gas. At one point, I saw the guys from Jumbo-Visma were letting go one group. I was waiting for the right moment, everybody was at the limit, to make my attack. Neilands made an impressive attack – he was the strongest, but he took too much headwind. We cooperated well in the chase. In the final 3km, I knew I was the fastest man, I controlled. With cold blood I let Zimmermann do his attack… and I sprinted without thinking of anything. I went with everything I had, with all energy I had, remembering the reason I was riding – for Gino. It was a special victory. It was hard to prepare and to come with a positive energy in the Tour. I wanted to ride the first two stages for the win but it wasn’t possible. Then I waited for my moment. My overall position was a problem, but I decided to make one move – the right move. This is my fist victory in the Tour, after 13 years as a pro. It’s such a special moment for me.”

Overall leader, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma): “I expected this stage to be hard just by looking at the profile and it’s been very hard, and even harder because of the heat. Tadej attacked from the start. Of course, I had to follow him. Then we controlled for the breakaway to not take too much lead and when other teams helped us it’s been a bit easier.”

# Stay PEZ for the best photos and race reports from the Tour. #

Tour de France Stage 10 Result: 1. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain Victorious in 3:52:34 2. Georg Zimmermann (Ger) Intermarché-Circus-Wanty 3. Ben O’Connor (Aus) AG2R Citroën 4. Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel-Premier Tech 5. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Education-EasyPost 6. Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar at 0:03 7. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek at 0:27 8. Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol) INEOS Grenadiers 9. Warren Barguil (Fra) Arkéa Samsic at 0:30 10. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step at 0:32.

Tour de France Overall After Stage 10: 1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma in 42:33:13 2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates at 0:17 3. Jai Hindley (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe at 2:40 4. Carlos Rodríguez (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 4:22 5. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Team Emirates at 4:39 6. Simon Yates (GB) Jayco AlUla at 4:44 7. Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain Victorious 8. Thomas Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 5:26 9. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 6:01 10. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma at 6:45.

Alastair Hamilton has been a pro team mechanic on the road, track and mountain bike and worked for the Great Britain team at the World championships in all disciplines. Since moving to Spain and finding out how to use a computer, he has gone from contributor of Daily Distractions at the 2002 Vuelta a España to editor at PezCyclingNews.

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Pello Bilbao dedicates Tour de France stage win to Gino Mäder

‘Gino Mäder is the only reason I am here’ says emotional stage winner after stage 10 success

George Poole

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Pello Bilbao: 'For Gino'

Just under a month on from the death of his teammate, Gino Mäder, at the Tour de Suisse , Pello Bilbao took advantage of Bahrain Victorious ’ aggressive approach to stage 10 of the Tour de France to infiltrate a strong breakaway and come out on top. The man from the Basque Country was full of praise for his teammates after the stage.

“We started the race fully focused. Yesterday we checked the first 40km and we were super ready and expecting a hard race day after the rest day,” explained Bilbao. In a critical moment I checked and we had five teammates in the first 20 riders, so I just wanted to make the right group. If possible, I wanted to be with a teammate, and Matej [Mohorič] was attacking all the time, as were Fred [Wright] , Mikel [Landa] and Jack [Haig] . Everybody was trying to go and we all wanted to attack the stage.”

Their committed approach saw Bilbao land himself in the definitive breakaway of the day, which only coalesced after almost 70km of full-gas racing that at one point saw the likes of Romain Bardet ( dsm-firmenich ) and David Gaudu ( Groupama-FDJ ) distanced from the peloton.

Beginning the day in 11th place on GC, Bilbao was wary that his proximity to the race favourites could have resulted in any move containing him being chased down by the peloton. But he did not let this dissuade him from delivering on Bahrain Victorious’ pre-planned offensive.

“Maybe I thought that the position in the GC was going to be a problem, but I decided to make an all-in movement and in the end, it was the right movement and my first victory in the Tour after 13 years as a professional, it is such a special moment for me.” beamed Bilbao after the finish.

Pello Bilbao played his cards to perfection on stage 10

Bilbao’s fears somewhat came to fruition over the final 30km as Ineos Grenadiers set a pace on the front of the peloton - determined to keep Bahrain Victorious within striking distance in the teams classification - but having developed over a three-minute gap, the breakaway was able to contend for stage honours amongst itself.

At 33 years of age, Bilbao displayed his clever race nous in the final kilometres as his chasing group bridged the gap to Krists Nielands ( Israel-Premier Tech ) that had hovered around 30 seconds for nigh on 30km. Making the catch with 3km to go, Bilbao put on a tactical masterclass to beat Nielands, Georg Zimmermann ( Intermarché-Circus-Wanty ), Ben O’Connor ( AG2R Citroën ) and Esteban Chaves ( EF Education-EasyPost ) to the line.

“In the last 3km, I knew that I was the fastest man in the group so I took responsibility and closed the gap to [Ben] O’Connor fast,” recalled Bilbao. “With cold blood, I let [Georg] Zimmermann make his sprint, went on the wheel and then full gas in the last 200m. I crossed the line and I just put out all the energy I had inside, and remembering the reason for this victory… a special one… for Gino [Mader].”

Bilbao was amongst the Bahrain Victorious team at the Tour de Suisse which was rocked by the death of Mäder on stage 5, following a crash. The Swiss rider had been close friends with Bilbao and having adopted a rescue dog from the streets of Bilbao city, had named his new pet Pello in ode to his close friend.

Pello Bilbao points to the #rideforGino motif that adorns his team’s helmets

Bilbao announced that he would honour Mäder throughout the Tour de France by making a €1 charitable donation to the Basoak SOS (BaSOS) association - a reforestation charity that Mäder had himself supported with a similar gesture at past Grand Tours - for each rider that he finished ahead of every day. Coming across the line first on stage 10 will ensure €168 are added to the total he has donated so far, with fans encouraged to make their own contributions in honour of the late Swiss rider.

“[Gino] was the only reason [I am here]… It was hard to prepare the last two weeks with him in mind,” admitted a teary-eyed Bilbao. “But staying with the family and Martina [his daughter] at home has helped me a lot to adjust, be positive and put all my positive energy to try and do something nice in the Tour.”

In winning stage 10, not only has Bilbao taken Bahrain Victorious’ first victory at a stage race since the death of their teammate, but the Basque native has also found himself moving from 11th to fifth on GC, heading into the final 11 days of racing. With three top six finishes at the Giro d’Italia in his palmàres, as well as ninth in the 2021 Tour de France, Bilbao is not a man to underestimate coming into weeks two and three.

Avoiding the misfortune and poor form that has struck his team’s co-leader, Mikel Landa, Bilbao enjoyed a consistent first ten stages and will now fancy his chances of achieving his highest-ever finish at the Tour de France.

For now, however, all his thoughts will be for Mäder, who would have made his Tour debut had it not been for the Tour de Suisse tragedy. Riding for Mäder, Bilbao paid the ultimate homage to his dear friend on the roads of France today.

Bahrain Victorious

• Nationality Bahrain
• Founded 2018
• Team Principal Milan Eržen
• UCI Code TBV
• Bike Sponsor Merida

Pello Bilbao

• Team Bahrain Victorious
• Nationality Spain
• UCI Wins 17
• Height 1.69m

• Nationality Switzerland
• Height 1.84m

Tour de France - Stage 10

• Dates 11 Jul
• Race Length 167 kms
• Start Vulcania
• Finish Issoire
• Race Category Elite Men

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Based in the UK, George has been at GCN since 2021.

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Pello Bilbao pays tribute to Gino Mäder after Tour de France stage 10 win

• Bilbao outsprints Georg Zimmermann for emotional victory
• Bahrain Victorious rider up to fifth in General Classification

As he celebrated his first stage win in the Tour de France, Pello Bilbao pointed initially to the sky and then to his heart, in tribute to his former Bahrain Victorious teammate Gino Mäder, who died while descending at speed in the Tour de Suisse less than a month ago.

Bilbao won stage 10 to Issoire after outsprinting Georg Zimmermann, racing for Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. The 33-year-old from Guernica was the fastest finisher from the remnants of a breakaway that eventually snuffed out the hopes of the lone attacker, Krists Neilands of Israel-Premier Tech, in the closing moments of the stage.

Bilbao admitted, however, that it had been difficult to suppress his feelings as he edged closer to victory. “The key today was to control my emotions,” he said. “The last three weeks have been really intense. Today was different. I started the stage with clear ideas and had the capacity to take control in the race.

“Everybody was on the limit. In the last three kilometres, I knew that I was the fastest in the group, so I just took responsibility. When I crossed the line, I put out all the energy that I had inside and remembered the reason for this victory,” Bilbao said.

His win was, he said, “a special one, for Gino.” After his victory, an air of poignancy hung over the Tour convoy. Mäder, just 26 when he died, had been a good friend to Bilbao, even naming his rescue dog “Pello” after his Basque teammate.

When the 2023 Tour had started in Bilbao, a huge image of a smiling Mäder, a dedicated environmentalist, had been the backdrop to the presentation of his former team’s riders.

The death of Mäder and the sense of loss within the peloton continues to be felt deeply, including by the race leader, Jonas Vingegaard. “It’s awful what happened in Switzerland,” the Jumbo-Visma rider said. “It’s so bad that I can’t even imagine how it must feel.

“It is so sad. I am feeling with them [his teammates] and with Gino’s family as well. I’m happy that they’re doing well and that they’re doing it for Gino.”

Bilbao acknowledged the difficulties he had faced following his teammate’s death, including a new and unexpected fear of descending. “It’s been hard,” he said. “When we left the race in Switzerland, everybody was affected.

“The best help was to go home and stay with my family and with my daughter, because kids don’t fully understand these difficult situations. With her, it was easier to forget.”

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In what was the first Tour win by a Spanish rider for five years, Bilbao also leapfrogged into the higher reaches of the General Classification. Twice fifth overall in the Giro d’Italia, he is now fifth overall in the Tour, just 12 seconds behind fourth-placed Carlos Rodríguez of Ineos Grenadiers. “The priority was to fight for the stage win,” Bilbao said, “but I have made a great jump. Today I spent a lot [of energy] but I hope I can recover and try to be as competitive as possible.”

As furnace conditions enveloped the Massif Central, the local fire services sprayed spectators with cold water, and the day’s five categorised climbs proved as debilitating as the steepest slopes in the Alps or Pyrenees. Among those suffering from a rude awakening, post-rest day, were David Gaudu, of the Groupama-FDJ team, and his compatriot Romain Bardet, riding for DSM-Firmenich.

Ahead of the main peloton, a 14-rider group that included Bilbao, Zimmermann and Neilands moved ahead as temperatures climbed to scorching heights. The gruelling stage, raced through the chain of hills to the south of Clermont-Ferrand, was initially animated by a frenzy of attacking. At one point a select group, including the defending champion, Vingegaard, and his closest rival , Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates, slipped away from the rest of the peloton.

That ambush led to a furious chase by Tom Pidcock’s Ineos Grenadiers team. The main favourites regrouped soon after, although the damage had already been done to many of those struggling to find their legs at the rear of the race.

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Pello Bilbao dedicates first Tour de France stage win to Gino Mader

Mader died aged 26 following a high-speed crash at the tour de suisse last month, article bookmarked.

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Pello Bilbao took his first career Tour de France stage win from a breakaway in Issoire and dedicated the victory to his late teammate Gino Mader.

Bilbao beat Georg Zimmermann to the line as six riders made it to the finish to contest the stage win, sparking emotional scenes as he and his Bahrain Victorious team remembered Mader, who died aged 26 following a high-speed crash at the Tour de Suisse last month.

The main peloton came to the line a little under three minutes later with Jonas Vingegaard retaining the yellow jersey and his 17-second advantage over Tadej Pogacar, but Bilbao’s win saw him move up to fifth overall. Following Mader’s death, Bilbao had pledged to replicate the Swiss rider’s charitable gesture – donating one euro to environmental causes for every rider he finishes ahead of on each stage, also promising to double the donation if he won the stage.

And in his podium interview, the Basque rider said the memory of Mader was “the only reason” for his win. He said: “It was hard to prepare the last two weeks with him in mind, but staying with my family at home helped me a lot, just to keep calm, be positive and put all my positive energy to try to do something nice in the Tour.

“I wanted to do it in the first Basque stages, that was so special for me, but it was not possible so I just waited for my moment. I was maybe thinking my position in the overall [Tour] was going to be a problem but I decided to make an all-in move and in the end it was the right movement. My first victory in the Tour in 13 years as a pro is such a special moment for me.”

The 167km (104-mile) stage from Vulcania through the Massif Central looked custom-designed for a breakaway, but things were never so simple on a day when the attacks raged from the start to the finish.

My first victory in the Tour in 13 years as a pro is such a special moment for me

Vingegaard and Pogacar were both involved in some of the early moves, splitting the main peloton before 14 riders eventually got away. But it was only occasionally a cohesive group. Krists Neilands launched an attack at the foot of the final climb and crested it with an advantage of 30 seconds, but that tumbled on the descent towards town and he was caught by a chasing group of five with three kilometres left.

Bilbao felt confident he was the fastest and let Zimmerman move to the front before launching his sprint with a couple of hundred metres left. “With cold blood I let Zimmermann make his sprint and I went on the wheel, then it was just full gas for the last 200m thinking of nothing,” he said. “I crossed the line and I just put out all the energy inside of me and remembered the reason for this victory, a special one – for Gino.”

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Grand Départ 2023 Pays Basque

To start from the basque country.

• Bilbao , the most populous city in the Basque Country,  will host the start of the 110 th  Tour de France on Saturday 1 July 2023.
• The peloton of the  Grande Boucle  already converged in Spain for the 1992  Grand Départ , which was also held in the Basque Country, specifically in San Sebastián. In addition to the Pyrenean stages that pass through the country now and then, nine Spanish towns and cities have hosted a Tour stage start or finish.  Bilbao will join the club in 2023 as the show gets on the road with a loop stage. The second stage will also take place entirely within the borders of the Basque Country.

HALFWAY BETWEEN THE SKY AND THE SEA,  Christian Prudhomme  

"A Grand Départ became a grand wish. Ever since the Tour de France hit the road in San Sebastián in summer 1992, the authorities and elected representatives of the Basque Country have longed to host the Grande Boucle again. This burning desire, combined with what the region brings to the table, could not be ignored, and this fervent courtship deserved to get a new taste of the three days of the Grand Départ after such a long wait.   We are therefore thrilled to return to these hospitable lands, which have continued to dispatch passionate orange armies to the Pyrenees and far beyond, flying the ikurrina on the roadsides to boost the morale of their riders.   Halfway between the sky and the sea, Biscaye, Alava et Gipuzkoa, the three provinces that make up the autonomous community, are fertile ground for spectacular cycling. I have no doubt that the leaders and punchers, clashing on every single climb, buoyed by the enthusiasm of the crowds, will put on quite a show. A Grand Départ for a grand wish."

WE WELCOME THE TOUR!,  Iñigo Urkullu Renteria,  President of the Basque Government  

"July 2023 will be a momentous occasion for the Basque Country. Fans will turn out in force and pump up the festive atmosphere that Basque supporters are known for on the roads of the Tour de France. The colourful Basque tide that infuses legendary mountains with joy will sweep through our own climbs, coast, towns and villages.   All the Basque institutions have embraced the challenge and are working as a team to seize the opportunity. For us, this is a dream come true. We understand how important this stage is for the Euskadi/Basque Country Strategy for Internationalisation, which aims to raise the profile of our country beyond our borders.   Cycling is a long-standing tradition in the Basque Country. Our goal is to host a flawless Grand Départ to make our lands an even more attractive destination. Our enthusiasm and commitment fill us with a sense of purpose as we prepare to welcome the 110th edition of the Tour de France."

Select the city you wish to visit on the interactive map.

Autonomous Community located in the north of Spain and consisting of three historical territories: Araba-Alava, Biscay et Gipuzkoa  

Lehendakaria (President of the Government): Iñigo Urkullu Renteria  

Area: 7 234 km2  

Population: 2 200 000 inhabitants  

Capital: Vitoria-Gasteiz (253 000 inhabitants)  

Main cities: Bilbao (354 000 inhabitants), Donostia / San Sebastian (188 000 inhabitants)  

Languages: euskara (basque) and spanish   Voltaire defined the Basque Country as " the People who sing and dance on both sides of the Pyrenees ". It shares the Basque language, the oldest language in Europe, with Navarre and with Iparralde, the French Basque Country, forming the " territory of the Basque language " with a unique culture that provides its own identity, personality and sense of belonging.  

Currency: Euro  

Socio-economic situation:   The Basque Autonomous Community is one of the territories with the most advanced social and economic indicators in Europe. It has a high life expectancy, as well as a high rate of academic training and is among the first countries in the world in the Human Development Index. The Basque productive fabric is dynamic and open and aspires to that industry and advanced services represent 40% of the Gross Domestic Product. In addition, the European Union's Regional Innovation Scoreboard places the Basque Country in the group of High Innovation Regions with the consideration of Pole of Excellence.

Basque sports legends:

Women: Maialen Chourraut (whitewater canoeing, gold, silver and  bronze 3 olympic medals 2012-2016-2020), Joane Somarriba (cycling, winner Tour de France 2000, 2001, 2003), Edurne Pasaban (alpinism, the world's first woman to summit the 14 eight-thousanders), Ibone Belaustegigoitia (trampoline jump, the first basque olympic athlete), Maider Unda (wrestling, bronze olympic medal 2012), Josune Bereziartu (climbing, leading the top female difficulty in world sport climbing from 1997 to 2017).

Men: Miguel Indurain (Navarre. Cycling, winner of five Tour de France 1991-1995), Joseba Beloki (Alava. Cycling, second Tour de France 2002 and third 2000 et 2001), Abraham Olano (Gipuzkoa. Cycling, fourth Tour de France 1997 and sixth 1999), Marino Lejarreta (Biscay. Cycling, fifth Tour de France 1989 and 1990), Xabi Alonso (football), Martin Fiz (marathon), Julen Aginagalde (handball), Aritz Aranburu (surf), Jose Maria Olazabal (golf), Jon Rahm (golf), Martin Zabaleta (alpinism, the first basque alpinist in Everest), Jose Angel Iribar (football).

Basque traditional sports : greats champions of basque pelota (“ esku-pilota ”, hand-pelota, and zesta-punta/Jai-Alai), “ harri-jasotzea ” (stone lifting), Iñaki Perurena and “ arrauna” (basque traditional row).

Wednesday 28th June :  Opening of the reception desk and press centre at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) in Barakaldo. Thursday 29th June :  Presentation of the 2023 Tour de France teams at the Guggenheim museum. Saturday 1st July : STAGE 1 - Bilbao > Bilbao. Sunday 2nd July : STAGE 2 - Vitoria-Gasteiz > Saint-Sébastien. Monday 3rd July : STAGE 3 - Amorebieta-Etxano > Bayonne.

STAGE 1 |  BILBAO > BILBAO  |  1 JULY 2023 |  185 km 

This loop within the borders of Biscay takes the peloton on a roller-coaster ride on the primeval hills that mound the sea, with a double passage through Guernica, a place of remembrance. Boasting an elevation gain of 3,300 metres, this beast of a stage guarantees that the yellow jersey will go to one of the hard men. A succession of climbs will serve as an appetiser before the Pike Bidea, a 2 km climb packing an average gradient of 9%, with sections of up to 15%, coming 10 km before the finish, on the heights above Bilbao. The riders would do well to save some energy for the finish, where the stage will be decided at the top of a 5% ramp. 

STAGE 2 |  VITORIA-GASTEIZ > SAN SEBASTIÁN | 2 JULY 2023 | 210 km 

Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of Álava and seat of the Basque institutions, will get the ball rolling on a plateau at 600 masl. The overall profile is that of a stage that rolls down towards the sea, but looks can be deceiving. After their legs have been softened up by the rugged, merciless terrain, the riders will get to grips with the Jaizkibel climb, near the Gipuzkoa capital, in the opposite direction from the Clásica de San Sebastián, which is every bit as tough than the side that often decides the outcome of the one-day race. Expect attacks to come thick and fast!  

STAGE 3 |  AMOREBIETA-ETXANO >  BAYONNE |  3 JULY 2023

The race is going home the long way round. The sprinters could get their first chance… as long as they can navigate such a dicey course. Pedalling their way through Biscaye, the riders will reach the sea in the jaw-dropping port town of Lekeitio. From there, 80 km of coastal roads peppered with little difficulties will be a feast for their eyes and an ordeal for their legs. After bidding farewell to San Sebastián, it will be time to head towards Irun and…

 Federico Ezquerra: Cannes (1936)

Jesús Loroño: Cauterets (1953)

Luis Otaño: Bourg-d'Oisans (1966)

José María Errandonea: Angers (1967)

Aurelio González: Lorient (1968)

Miguel María Lasa: Verviers (1976) and Biarritz (1978)

José Nazabal: Vitoria (1977)

Julián Gorospe: Saint-Étienne (1986)

Pello Ruiz: Évreux (1986)

Federico Echave: Alpe-d'Huez (1987)

Marino Lejarreta: Millau (1990) 

Javier Murguialday: Pau (1992)

Abraham Olano: Disneyland-Paris (1997)

David Etxebarria: Saint-Flour and Pau (1999)

Javier Otxoa: Hautacam (2000)

Roberto Laiseka: Luz-Ardiden (2001)

Iban Mayo: Alpe-d'Huez (2003)

Aitor González: Nîmes (2004)

Juan Manuel Gárate: Mont Ventoux (2009)

Ion Izagirre: Morzine (2016)

Omar Fraile: Mende (2018) 

  1949

Bordeaux > San Sebastián, 228 km: Louis Caput (FRA)

San Sebastián > Pau, 196 km: Fiorenzo Magni (ITA)

Oloron-Sainte-Marie > Vitoria-Gasteiz, 248 km: José Nazabal (ESP)         

 Vitoria-Gasteiz > Seignosse-le-Penon, 256 km: Régis Delépine (FRA)

San Sebastián, 8 km (prologue): Miguel Indurain (ESP)            

San Sebastián > San Sebastián, 194.5 km: Dominique Arnould (FRA)

San Sebastián > Pau, 255 km: Javier Murguialday (ESP)     

Argelès-Gazost > Pamplona, 262 km: Laurent Dufaux (SUI)

Pamplona > Hendaye, 154.5 km: Bart Voskamp (NED) 

THE BASQUE COUNTRY, perfect to be enjoyed at close quarters

You couldn’t fit any more in so little space. Because it’s not easy to find so many wonders so close to each other. The Basque Country is the ideal place to enjoy numerous attractions in a short time: diverse landscapes, a pleasant climate, an age-old culture, renowned gastronomy... What more could you ask for from this unique land? We can sum up the Basque Country with these 10 great icons, but there’s much more:

• Donostia-San Sebastián
• Vitoria-Gasteiz
• Gernika Assembly House
• Biscaye Bridge
• San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
• Balenciaga Museum
• Sanctuary of Loyola

The Basque Country is recognised the world over as a cycling country. Its fans, its great professionals, its events and the brands linked to the cycling industry clearly show the close links between the Basque Country, its people and this most demanding of sports.

If you’re passionate about cycling, the Basque Country offers you endless enjoyable possibilities: MTB centres, green ways, cycle holiday routes, urban routes, or hundreds of kilometres of roads with sparse traffic winding through incredible landscapes, are just some of the most attractive options you’ll find in these guides:

• The Basque Country by Bicycle Guide  https://issuu.com/turismoeuskadi/docs/guia_euskadi_en_bicicleta_en_2019_w
• The Urola Green Way Guide  https://issuu.com/turismoeuskadi/docs/vv_urola_enfr_2019v2_web
• Grand Tour Cycling Route Around the Alavan Plain Guide  https://issuu.com/turismoeuskadi/docs/folleto_cicloturismo_alava_2018_enf

More information at:  Basque Country Tourism

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Pello Bilbao Aims for Tour de France 2024 After Stellar Season

Key points:

• Pello Bilbao targets the Tour de France in 2024 following a successful season.
• The Spaniard achieved a stage win and career-best sixth-place finish at this year's Tour de France.
• Bilbao emphasizes the importance of riding with emotions and loving the job in order to achieve big things.

Bilbao aims for 2024 Tour de France as he reflects on an emotional but successful year, eyeing a strong return after grief and intense preparation. The Spaniard rates his year an 8 out of 10 and plans a focused race program, excluding the Tour Down Under. Bilbao prefers stage wins over the GC, finding the day-by-day fight more enjoyable. His career-best form has sparked motivation but he remains hesitant about making any definitive statements on entering as a title contender.

Read more at cyclingnews.com

The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI

cyclingnews.com • @cyclingnewsfeed

‘When you ride with emotions, big things come’ - Bilbao targets 2024 Tour de France

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Pello Bilbao receives warning for punching fan at the Tour de France

Basque rider hit fan out of the way while racing towards the top of the Col de la Loze on stage 17

Pello Bilbao has been warned by the UCI commissaires jury at the Tour de France after punching a spectator while racing up the Col de la Loze on stage 17.

The Bahrain Victorious rider was caught on camera hitting out at a fan with his right hand as he raced towards the summit of the Tour's highest peak along with Chris Harper (Jayco-AlUla) and David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ).

A fan was running alongside Harper, just in front of Bilbao, as the breakaway trio battled their way up the final 3km of the HC-rated climb inside the final 10km of the stage, leaving the Basque rider with no space to move into. As he sought to move past Harper, he swiped out at the fan before racing on.

Voeckler suspended from Tour de France after moto stalls in front of Vingegaard Tour de France: Vingegaard dashes Pogacar's GC hopes on stage 17 across Col de la Loze 'I'm gone. I'm dead' – Pogacar's Tour de France hopes end on Col de la Loze

After the stage, Bilbao's action appeared on the day's list of commissaires decisions, earning himself a warning for 'inappropriate behaviour (towards a spectator)'. He was served an 'official notice' and didn't receive a fine or any other punishment for his swipe.

In the end, stage 10 winner Bilbao raced home for third on the stage behind Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën) and runner-up Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla), who had accelerated away earlier on the climb. He jumped up to sixth overall as a result, and now lies within striking distance of Carlos Rodríguez in fourth, 39 seconds down.

Ouch! 🤬👊 Pello Bilbao was not happy with the intrusion of one spectator onto his racing line!#TDF2023 #sbstdf #couchpeloton#sbstdf #couchpeloton #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/K4UzCVsst3 July 20, 2023

Bilbao's move wasn't the only infraction of the day, with ex-rider turned France Télévisions commentator Thomas Voeckler and his motorbike pilot taken off the race for stage 18 after their motorbike stalled on the climb.

The pair's motorbike stalled on a steep bend towards the top of the climb, holding up a race organisation car as a result and in turn blocking the road for Jonas Vingegaard and Wilco Kelderman.

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The pair were sanctioned for violating regulations concerning 'the circulation of vehicles in the race' and 'non-compliance with the press specification before the summit of the Col de la Loze' and received a 500CHF fine in addition to be taking off the race for Thursday's stage 18.

Other penalties handed out during the Alpine queen stage included a 500CHF fine for EF Education-EasyPost director and exclusion from stage 18 for team press officer Kier Place for 'irregular refuelling' with team assistants standing too far to the middle of the road, a 200CHF fine for Jayco-AlUla rider Lawson Craddock for littering, and a 200CHF for UAE Team Emirates rider Vegard Stake Længen and his director Andrej Hauptman for a sticky bottle.

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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Prior to joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Remco Evenepoel, Demi Vollering, and Anna van der Breggen.

As well as original reporting, news and feature writing, and production work, Dani also oversees How to Watch guides and works on The Leadout newsletter throughout the season. Their favourite races are Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix and their favourite published article is from the 2024 edition of the latter: 'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix

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When UCI Rules Are Bent But Not Broken

The race mechanics of Bahrain Victorious test the limits with Pello Bilbao’s bike in the Tour Down Under prologue.

Necessity is often the mother of invention, and Pello Bilbao’s mechanics ingenuity was on full display at the prologue of the 2023 Tour Down Under. The stage was a time trial with a twist, since the use of actual time trial bikes wasn’t allowed but some aero components and gear, such as helmets, wheels, skinsuits and shoe covers, were.

As a result, the mechanics from several teams racing in the Tour Down Under this year ended up getting creative with their rider’s set ups and positions on their road bikes, effectively trying to mimic the position of a time trial bike as much as possible while staying within the bounds of what is allowed by the UCI.

Speaking of the UCI, lively banter on bike twitter began almost immediately about whether the international governing body of cycling will ban this position in the future.

Natascha Grief is Bicycling’s Health & Fitness Editor. She got her first bike shop job before she was old enough to drink. After a six-year stint as a bike mechanic and earning a couple pro-mechanic certifications and her USA Cycling Race Mechanics license, she became obsessed with framebuilding and landed an apprenticeship with framebuilder Brent Steelman in her hometown of Redwood City, California. After that, she spent several years working for both large and not-so-large cycling brands before switching gears to become a NASM certified personal trainer. She’s honed her skills as a trainer and coach for over a decade, while also teaching Spin. During the dumpster fire that was the year 2020, she opened a fitness studio and began contributing regularly to Runner’s World and Bicycling as a freelance writer. She joined the editorial staff of Bicycling in 2022.

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