These days, when the Vuelta a España comes to the Basque Country it feels like a homecoming. The crowds are enormous and the tough, hilly roads virtually guarantee exciting racing. Yet for 33 years the Vuelta didn't come here at all, only returning in 2011 when the organisers could be confident that Basque separatists wouldn't try to disrupt the race. In this episode of Kilometre 0 Richard Moore explores the region's biggest city, Bilbao, from the Alto de Arraiz climb that featured close to the finish of the 12th stage, to the famous pintxos bars in the company of Eneko Garate, a former cyclist, manager of the old Basque professional team, Kaiku, and now publisher of cycling books.  There are also interviews with Astana rider Ion Izagirre, Juanma Garate, the sports director at EF-Education First, and Basque journalist Ainara Hernando.  Kilometre 0 by The Cycling Podcast is supported by Hansgrohe showers and taps.