Itzulia Basque Country 2026 Preview: Del Toro Targets Record Third WorldTour Stage Race Title
Isaac del Toro arrives at the 81st Itzulia Basque Country as the most in-form stage racer on the planet. The 21-year-old Mexican has already claimed overall victories at the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico this season, becoming the first North American rider to win the Italian week-long race in the process, and now targets an unprecedented third WorldTour stage race title before the end of April.
The UAE Team Emirates prodigy has been the breakout story of the 2026 season. While his team leader Tadej Pogacar has been rewriting the Monument record books in the spring Classics, Del Toro has quietly established himself as the best young stage racer in the world. His acceleration on the climbs at Tirreno was reminiscent of a prime Pogacar — explosive, decisive and utterly demoralising for his rivals — and the Basque hills should provide the perfect terrain for a repeat performance.
The 2026 Itzulia route is built for punishment. Six stages between Bilbao and Eibar pack in 29 major climbs and over 16,000 metres of elevation gain across just six days of racing. The opening individual time trial in Bilbao on Monday features 240 metres of ascent, with gradients hitting 19 per cent on the final kick to the finish — a brutal curtain-raiser that will establish the hierarchy immediately. There are no flat stages for pure sprinters, but equally no summit finishes atop a high mountain, meaning the racing should be aggressive and unpredictable throughout.
The queen stage on Stage 5 around Eibar will be the ultimate test: 176.2 kilometres with 3,814 metres of climbing and three first-category ascents. It is the kind of day where GC contenders will need to attack or risk being left behind, and Del Toro's explosive climbing style makes him the clear favourite to seize control.
Standing in his way is a formidable cast of challengers. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is a two-time Itzulia champion, having won in 2018 and 2021, and the punchy Basque terrain has always suited the Slovenian veteran's characteristics perfectly. At 36, Roglic remains one of the most dangerous stage racers in the peloton when the roads turn upward, and he will be using this race as a key building block ahead of the Tour de France.
Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) returns to racing after his Paris-Nice injury and would be a clear contender if anywhere near his best level. The Spanish climber's talent is undeniable, but fitness question marks linger after his enforced absence. Meanwhile, Paul Seixas has been earmarked as one of cycling's next generation of Grand Tour contenders, and a strong ride here would confirm his rapid rise through the WorldTour ranks. Antonio Tiberi and Mattias Skjelmose add further depth to a GC battle that could produce fireworks on every stage.
Neither Pogacar nor Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) will be present in the Basque Country this year, both having elected to focus on their respective spring and Grand Tour campaigns. Their absence opens the door for the next generation to stake their claim, and no rider has done more to seize that opportunity than Del Toro.
If the Mexican can win in the Basque Country, he will have claimed three WorldTour stage races in a single spring — a feat that would place him alongside the sport's all-time greats and confirm that UAE Team Emirates have not just one generational talent, but two.