- Galdakao Town Council and OCETA sign an agreement to include the municipality in the route of the next edition.
Galdakao Town Council will form part of the Itzulia 2026 route as the host of both the start and finish of a stage, following the signing of the agreement today, 9 January 2026.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Galdakao, Iñigo Arriandiaga Hernando; the Councillor for Sports, Asier Korta; the Councillor for Youth, Amets Iturbe; the President of OCETA, Javier Riaño; Iker Amarika, Head of Institutional Relations at OCETA; and Olatz Otero, Secretary of the association. With this agreement, the municipality officially joins the route of the cycling race, one of the most important events on the international calendar.
Galdakao boasts a rich cycling culture and history, with strong ties to the Itzulia over the years. OCETA President, Javier Riaño, emphasised the significance of this agreement for the town: “We are delighted to return to Galdakao, a town with a proud cycling tradition. We have passed through Galdakao many times with the Itzulia and Itzulia Women, but the town has not hosted a stage since 1996.”
The mayor, Iñigo Arriandiaga Hernando, confirmed Galdakao’s long-standing connection with cycling. He expressed his gratitude for the outstanding work of Galdakaoko Txirrindulari Elkartea, Mozoilo Triatloi Elkartea, and Txirrindulari Gela, which, under the tireless leadership of Igor Antón, fosters a cycling culture among children. They will undoubtedly ensure the continuity Galdakao’s strong tradition in cycling. For all these groups, the youth academy, and the town’s residents, it will be a special moment to welcome the world’s best cyclists to Galdakao.
Galdakao’s role as both the start and finish town reinforces its historic connection with the race and cements its place on the 2026 route. The agreement provides a framework for collaboration between the two parties in organising and running the race day in the town.
The news was announced on the day the agreement was signed, marking the beginning of joint efforts to prepare for the stage that will take place in Galdakao during the next Itzulia.
