Since its debut in 1981, the Clásica San Sebastián has been one of the flagship events of international cycling. As the only Spanish one-day race on the UCI WorldTour calendar, it ranks among the most prestigious classics of all and is regarded as one of the most important races of its kind, second only to the five Monuments. Particularly noteworthy: since the introduction of the Cycling World Cup in 1989, this traditional Basque event has been a continuous fixture in the top international racing series – now known as the UCI WorldTour.
Clásica San Sebastián: Key facts at a glance
- Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026
- Distance: 221.1 kilometres
- Start and finish points: San Sebastián
- First broadcast: 1981 (45th edition)
- Last year’s winner: Giulio Ciccone
- Record winner: Marino Lejarreta & Remco Evenepoel (three times each)
- Organiser: OCETA
The race is organised by the Basque organisation OCETA (Organizaciones Ciclistas Euskadi), which is also responsible for the Tour of the Basque Country for both women and men. The Clásica is deeply rooted in the culture of the Basque Country. Instead of a conventional winner’s trophy, the winner traditionally receives a txapela, the traditional Basque cap. It has long since become a hallmark of the race and, for many professionals, is one of the most coveted trophies in cycling.
Not least because of its demanding route, featuring the famous climbs around Jaizkibel, and its close proximity to the Tour de France, the Clásica San Sebastián holds a very special place in the hearts of riders and fans alike. Year after year, it draws the world’s best climbers and classics specialists to the Basque Country, partly because of its unpredictable outcome. Here, both classic general classification riders and pure classics specialists can emerge victorious.
Clásica San Sebastián 2026: The route
The San Sebastián Classic is renowned for its numerous tough climbs. With a total elevation gain of 4,150 metres, the race comes close to matching the demands of Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Compared with previous years, the route has been revised. In 2026, the professionals will have to tackle seven categorised climbs instead of the previous six. The Andazarrate has been dropped from the route, but two new climbs – the Kalbario and the Azkarate – have been added right at the start. After that, the route remains unchanged. However, these changes mean the race distance is extended by ten kilometres.
The final two climbs are likely to be decisive for the outcome of the race. Both the Erlaitz and the Murgil feature particularly steep sections with an average gradient of more than ten per cent. Before that, the route passes through the finish line in San Sebastián twice, before the riders turn onto the final home straight. Both passages through the finish line also feature intermediate sprint points.
The favourites to win
The clear favourite this year is Remco Evenepoel. A fourth victory would see the Belgian become the sole record holder at the Clásica San Sebastián. Following his impressive second place in the Tour de France, he heads to the Basque Country brimming with confidence. The only question is how well he has recovered from the rigours of the past three weeks.
Defending champion Giulio Ciccone is also back in the line-up, though he is not currently in top form. Another victory for the Italian would therefore come as something of a surprise. The same applies to Giro runner-up Felix Gall. The climbs generally suit him, but the short, explosive attacks in the final stages are unlikely to play to his strengths. Against riders like Evenepoel, he may lack that crucial burst of pace on the final climbs.
Martinez and Pellizzari: climbing aces
Following his strong performance in the Tour de France, Lenny Martinez is one of the most interesting riders in the peloton. The Frenchman should benefit particularly from a gruelling race and has the potential to secure a top placing. Giulio Pellizzari also possesses the necessary qualities. However, the young Italian is likely to be deployed primarily as a key support rider for Evenepoel and will only be given the freedom to ride his own race should the race unfold in an unusual way.
The Power of Classics
Among the biggest challengers to the climbing specialists are Mauro Schmid and Quinn Simmons. Both have been in strong form recently and possess the necessary climbing prowess to tackle the decisive ascents. If a small group crosses the finish line together, they are likely to have the edge over many pure climbers in the sprint. Simmons, in particular, is therefore one of the very hot favourites for victory alongside Evenepoel.
With Jan Christen and Jhonatan Narváez, UAE Emirates-XRG is fielding two promising contenders. Christen combines explosive power with climbing ability, making him ideally suited to the course profile. Narváez possesses even greater finishing speed, but could struggle if the race is pushed to the limit on the final climbs.
The benchmark in the Basque Country
The list of potential winners is long. Schmid, Simmons, Martinez, Gall and the UAE duo all have realistic chances of a top result. Nevertheless, Remco Evenepoel is the clear favourite. The course suits his abilities perfectly, and the prospect of setting a new solo record is likely to provide further motivation. He has already shown on three occasions why this race suits him so well.
Clásica San Sebastián 2026: TV broadcast & live stream
The Clásica San Sebastián one-day race will not be broadcast live on German television on Saturday 1 August. The race finale will only be available on the pay-per-view streaming service Discovery Plus shown from 3 pm.
Leon Weidner
Editor