The 2015 Clásica de San Sebastián was a one-day cycling classic that took place in the Basque Country in Spain on 1 August 2015.

The race began in San Sebastián with a 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) neutral zone and left the city to the west, along the coast of the Bay of Biscay.

This took the riders northeast for approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) through Hernani, Oiartzun and Lezo before the first of two ascents of the Alto de Jaizkibel.

During this section of the race, the riders returned to San Sebastián and crossed the finish line; at this point there were still 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) remaining.

[3] The final climb was introduced in the 2014 edition and included gradients up to 20%; the lead group was formed on this ascent in the 2014 race, with Alejandro Valverde attacking on the descent and maintaining a gap to the finish line.

[5] Two UCI Professional Continental teams, Caja Rural–Seguros RGA and Cofidis, were given wildcard places to form a nineteen-team peloton.

Some riders, including Chris Froome (Team Sky), the winner of the Tour, chose not to participate in the race.

[8] Another of the principal riders from the Tour de France, Alberto Contador (Tinkoff–Saxo), originally planned to participate but was forced to withdraw because of a fever.

Rodríguez won two stages during the Tour and was expected to be in fresh condition, as he did not attempt a high position in the general classification.

These included Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team), the winner in 2011, Mikel Landa (Astana), who had been third in the Giro d'Italia, and Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx–Quick-Step), who had finished second to Valverde in both La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

These were Manuele Boaro (Tinkoff–Saxo), Valerio Agnoli (Astana), Dennis Vanendert (Lotto–Soudal), Nathan Haas (Cannondale–Garmin), Maarten Wynants (LottoNL–Jumbo), Thomas Degand (IAM Cycling), Lluís Mas (Caja Rural–Seguros RGA) and Romain Hardy (Cofidis).

These riders stayed together for approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi); the Movistar Team controlled the peloton and kept the breakaway's lead to around three minutes.

[14] The first attacks on the final climb came from Barguil and Van Avermaet, followed by Yates, while Rodríguez and Valverde waited in the main group.