ALAVA AND GIPUZKOA WEAR YELLOW TODAY

• The second stage of the 110^th edition of the French round starts in Vitoria-Gasteiz and finishes in Donostia / San Sebastian after a route of 208.9 kilometres on the roads of Alava and Gipuzkoa.

• The peloton set off from Mendizabala at 12.15h and will reach the finish line at around 17:30h in Zurriola, next to the Kursaal.

The bikes have already started to roll along the roads of Alava and in a few hours they will reach the roads of Gipuzkoa.

At 12:15 pm, the Deputy General of Alava Ramiro Gonzalez and the Mayoress of Vitoria-Gasteiz Maider Etxebarria have given the starting flag for the second stage of the 'Gran Départ de Pays Basque 2023'.

Previously, the different institutions present exchanged a series of gifts to commemorate this historic moment. The general director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, and Bernard Thévenet, one of the ambassadors of the Tour de France and overall winner of the 1977 edition, the same year that the cyclist from Guipuzcoa, Joxe Nazabal, won a stage that ended in Vitoria-Gasteiz, after an epic breakaway, took part in the event.

The second stage of the 110^th edition of the Tour de France will link Vitoria-Gasteiz with Donostia / San Sebastian. The 208.9 kilometres of the route have a deceptive profile. The capital of the Basque Country is at an altitude of 600 metres and Donostia / San Sebastian is bathed by the Cantabrian Sea, but the narrow, winding roads through Alava and Gipuzkoa will require a major effort.

The highlight will be the climb up Mount Jaizkibel, where the cyclists will have to face a gradient of 5.3% for 8.1 kilometres.

Just like yesterday, the fans, enthusiasm and strength will continue to be the protagonists. Will Adam Yates continue in yellow? We will know in a few hours.