The Vuelta a España is an annual multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the race was first organised in 1935. The race was prevented from being run by the Spanish Civil War and World War II in the early years of its existence; however, the race has been held annually since 1955. As the Vuelta gained prestige and popularity the race was lengthened and its reach began to extend all around the globe. Since 1979, the event has been staged and managed by Unipublic, until in 2014, when the Amaury Sport Organisation acquired control. Since then, they have been working together. The peloton expanded from a primarily Spanish participation to include riders from all over the world. The Vuelta is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI WorldTeams, with the exception of the wild card teams that the organizers can invite.
Samuel "Samu" Sánchez González is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally in the sport between 2000 and 2017 for the Euskaltel–Euskadi and BMC Racing Team squads. He was the gold medal winner in the road race at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In the following years Sánchez proved himself in hilly classics and stage races as one of the most important riders in the peloton. He was also known as one of the best descenders in the peloton. He finished in the top 6 of the Tour de France three times and in the top 10 of the Vuelta a España 6 times. Other notable achievements include winning the Vuelta a Burgos in 2010, the 2012 Tour of the Basque Country and five stages of the Vuelta a España.
Euskal Bizikleta was an annual road cycling stage race held in the Basque Country in June. From 2005 to 2008, the race was organized as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour. In 2009, it was merged with the Tour of the Basque Country.
Joaquim Rodríguez Oliver is a Spanish cyclist, who competed in road bicycle racing between 2001 and 2016 for the ONCE–Eroski, Saunier Duval–Prodir, Caisse d'Epargne and Team Katusha teams. Following his retirement from road racing, Rodríguez has competed in mountain bike racing and formed his own mountain bike racing team, Andbank–La Purito.
Federico Echave Musatadi is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer. He won the prestigious stage up to Alpe d'Huez in 1987 Tour de France. Echave holds the record for most Vueltas finished, 14, all of them being consecutive.
Luis Otaño Arcelus is a former Spanish Basque professional road bicycle racer. In 1964, Otaño lost the 1964 Vuelta a España to Raymond Poulidor by only 33 seconds.
Mikel Nieve Iturralde is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional from 2008 to 2022.
Fabio Felline is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Lidl–Trek.
Carlos Alberto Betancur Gómez is a Colombian road racing cyclist, who most recently rode for Colombian amateur team Colombia Tierra de Atletas–GW Bicicletas.
Ion Izagirre Insausti is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer and cyclo-cross rider from the Basque Country, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Cofidis. He is sometimes referred to as Jon Izaguirre, to retain the correct pronunciation under Castilian orthography.
The 2013 Tour of the Basque Country was the 53rd running of the Tour of the Basque Country cycling stage race. It started on 1 April in Elgoibar and ended on 6 April in Beasain, and consisted of six stages, including a race-concluding individual time trial. It was the ninth race of the 2013 UCI World Tour season.
The 2014 Tour of the Basque Country was the 54th edition of the Tour of the Basque Country. It started on 7 April 2014 in Ordizia and ended on 12 April in Markina-Xemein, and consisted of six stages, including a race-concluding individual time trial. It was the ninth race of the 2014 UCI World Tour season.
Omar Fraile Matarranza is a Spanish racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers. He is a winner of stages in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, and has twice won the Mountains classification in the Vuelta a España.
The 2015 Tour of the Basque Country was the 55th edition of the Tour of the Basque Country stage race. It took place from 6 to 11 April and was the ninth race of the 2015 UCI World Tour. The race was won by Joaquim Rodríguez.
The 2016 Tour of the Basque Country was a road cycling stage race that took place in the Basque Country between 4 and 9 April 2016. It was the 56th edition of the Tour of the Basque Country and the ninth event of the 2016 UCI World Tour.
The 2017 Tour of the Basque Country was a road cycling stage race that took place between 3 and 8 April. It was the 57th edition of the Tour of the Basque Country and was the fourteenth event of the 2017 UCI World Tour.
The 2018 Tour of the Basque Country was a road cycling stage race that took place between 2 and 7 April 2018 in Spain. It was the 58th edition of the Tour of the Basque Country and the fourteenth event of the 2018 UCI World Tour.
Carlos Echevarría Zudaire is a former Spanish professional cyclist. He finished in the top 10 four times in the Vuelta a España, including third place in 1966. He also won two stages of the race, in 1965 and 1966.
José Luis Uribezubia is a Spanish former racing cyclist. He rode in three editions of the Tour de France, as well as seven editions of the Vuelta a España and three of the Giro d'Italia.
Juan Ayuso Pesquera is a Spanish road cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam UAE Team Emirates.
2024 Tour of the Basque Country 
Francis Pélissier (FRA)
Juan Ayuso (ESP)
