The most important facts in brief
- Date: Saturday, 2 August 2025
- Distance: 211.4 kilometres
- Start & finish location: San Sebastián
- First edition: 1981 (44th edition)
- Last year's winner: Marc Hirschi
- Record winner: Marino Lejarreta & Remco Evenepoel (three times each)
- Organiser: OCETA
The Clásica San Sebastián has been in existence since 1981 and has been one of the world's top racing series since 1989, making it one of the most prestigious one-day races after the Monuments of Cycling. The winner of the classic race receives a txapela - a beret typical of the region. The organiser is OCETA, which also organises the Tour of the Basque Country.
Clásica San Sebastián 2025: The route
The San Sebastian classic is characterised by its many difficult climbs. This is why not only classic riders but also mountain specialists can expect to have a chance of winning. The 2025 edition will also feature six categorised climbs with both tough and poisonous gradients. The only German to win the race around San Sebastián was Udo Bölts in 1996, while the record winners are Marino Lejarreta and Remco Evenepoel. The former won the first edition of the race, Evenepoel in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Compared to last year, the route has been changed slightly, which is why a 3rd category climb has been omitted. However, this should not detract from the excitement. To win the race, the riders now have to cover 211.4 kilometres and climb six mountain classifications. The last two climbs in particular, Erlaitz and Murgil-Tontorra, contain difficult gradients of over 10 per cent and are therefore likely to decide the winner. In addition, the finish in San Sebastián will be crossed twice before the riders head onto the final finishing straight. Both finishes will be marked with intermediate sprint points.
Erlaitz & Murgil-Tontorra as key locations
The last three climbs in particular could be important in the 2025 San Sebastian classic. Experienced riders of the one-day race should know the Jaizkibel well and have a small advantage - it is the legendary climb of the race. A field of favourites could therefore break away here and separate the wheat from the chaff. Last year, there was a sprint between Marc Hirschi and Julian Alaphilippe, which the Swiss rider won. This year too, the last two climbs are likely to play an important role and the decision will come to a head.
However, the final decision is likely to be made on the final Murgil-Tontorra climb. Although it is only two kilometres long, with a gradient of 9.6 per cent it is steep enough for an attack by the winner. This means that one rider could break away and go on to celebrate victory in San Sebastián. A sprint between two riders, as happened last year between Hirschi and Alaphilippe, is rather unlikely, but still quite possible.
The climbs of the Basque classic
- 28.3 km Andazarrate - 5.9 km à 5.7%
- 81.5 km Urraki - 8.6 km à 6.9%
- 102.1 km Alkiza - 4.4 km à 6.2%
- 149.2 km Jaizkibel - 7.9 km à 5.6%
- 169 km Erlaitz - 3.8 km à 10.6%
- 203.4 km Murgil-Tontorra - 2.1 km à 10.1%
Clásica San Sebastián 2025: The schedule
- Start (kilometre 0): 2 August 2025, 11:27 am
- Finish: 2 August 2025, approx. 16:29 - 17:02
Clásica San Sebastián 2025: TV broadcast & live stream
The one-day race Clásica San Sebastián will not be broadcast live on German television on Saturday, 2 August. The final of the race between 15:00 and 17:15 will only be broadcast on the paid streaming service Discovery Plus shown.
Clásica San Sebastián 2024: Results
Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa: San Sebastián - San Sebastián
Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2024: Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa, San Sebastián - San Sebastián
| Rnk. | Riders | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UAE Team Emirates | 05:46:12 |
| 2 | Soudal Quick-Step | +00:00:00 |
| 3 | Lotto Dstny | +00:00:07 |
| 4 | Team dsm-firmenich PostNL | +00:00:17 |
| 5 | INEOS Grenadiers | +00:00:25 |
| 6 | EF Education - EasyPost | +00:00:25 |
All winners of the Clásica San Sebastián
- 1981 Marino Lejarreta (Spain)
- 1982 Marino Lejarreta (Spain)
- 1983 Claude Criquielion (Belgium)
- 1984 Niki Rüttimann (Switzerland)
- 1985 Adrie van der Poel (Netherlands)
- 1986 Inaki Gaston (Spain)
- 1987 Marino Lejarreta (Spain)
- 1988 Gert-Jan Theunisse (Netherlands)
- 1989 Gerhard Zadrobilek (Austria)
- 1990 Miguel Indurain (Spain)
- 1991 Gianni Bugno (Italy)
- 1992 Raúl Alcala (Mexico)
- 1993 Claudio Chiappucci (Italy)
- 1994 Armand de Las Cuevas (France)
- 1995 Lance Armstrong (USA)
- 1996 Udo Bölts (Germany)
- 1997 Davide Rebellin (Italy)
- 1998 Francesco Casagrande (Italy)
- 1999 Francesco Casagrande (Italy)
- 2000 Erik Dekker (Netherlands)
- 2001 Laurent Jalabert (France)
- 2002 Laurent Jalabert (France)
- 2003 Paolo Bettini (Italy)
- 2004 Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spain)
- 2005 Constantino Zaballa (Spain)
- 2006 Xavier Florencio (Spain)
- 2007 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Italy)
- 2008 Alejandro Valverde (Spain)
- 2009 Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic)
- 2010 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain)
- 2011 Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
- 2012 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain)
- 2013 Tony Gallopin (France)
- 2014 Alejandro Valverde (Spain)
- 2015 Adam Yates (Great Britain)
- 2016 Bauke Mollema (Netherlands)
- 2017 Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland)
- 2018 Julian Alaphilippe (France)
- 2019 Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
- 2021 Neilson Powless (USA)
- 2022 Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
- 2023 Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
- 2024 Marc Hirschi (Switzerland)
Leon Weidner
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