It began and ended in San Sebastián, in the Basque Country, Spain.

The race covered 237 kilometres (147 mi), mainly to the south and east of the city, and entirely within the province of Guipúzcoa.

An additional wildcard invitation was given to Contentpolis-Ampo, a Professional Continental team, to form the event's 19-team peloton.

The event takes place less than a week after the conclusion of the 2009 Tour de France, and many of the riders who took part in that event, were scheduled for this race, including all but three of the top fifteen finishers,[1] although a number of the higher profile riders withdrew in the last few days before the event, including the suspended local rider, Mikel Astarloza.

The route is an anticlockwise loop, heading southwest from San Sebastián, reaching its highest point, and its farthest from the city at the Alto de Udana (574 m).