Editing Basques (section)

==Sports in the Basque Country==
[[File:LuxioApustua.jpg|thumb|Rivalry and betting in a [[Aizkolaritza|wood-chopping contest (1949)]]]]

===Pelota===
{{Main|Basque pelota}}

The great family of ball games has its unique offspring among Basque ball games, known generically as [[Basque pelota|pilota]] (Spanish: ''pelota''). Some variants have been exported to the United States and [[Macau]] under the name of [[Jai Alai]].

===Rural sports===
{{Main|Basque rural sports}}
[[File:Remo-ria-de-bilbao.jpg|thumb|''Trainerilla'' in the [[Estuary of Bilbao|Bilbao estuary]]]]
[[File:20060122 barrenak gora.jpg|thumb|''Barrenatzaileak'' in [[Barakaldo]].]]

There are several sports derived by Basques from everyday chores. Heavy workers were challenged and bets placed upon them. Examples are:
* ''[[estropadak]]'' rowing regattas: from fishermen activities.
* ''[[Basque rural sports#Sokatira (tug-of-war)|sokatira]]'': tug-of-war.
* ''[[Harri-jasotzaileak|harri-jasotzea]]'': stone-lifting, from quarry works.
* ''[[aizkolaritza]]'' and ''[[Basque rural sports#Trontza (sawing)|trontzalaritza]]'': wood-chopping and log sawing.
* ''[[Basque rural sports#Sega jokoa (scything)|sega jokoa]]'': cutting grass with a [[scythe]].
* ''[[Basque rural sports#Giza-abere probak (dragging games)|Giza-abere probak]]'': stone block pulling, from construction works:
** ''[[idi probak]]'' with teams of oxen.
** ''asto probak'' with donkeys.
** ''zaldi probak'' with horses.
** ''gizon probak'' with human teams.
* ''[[Basque rural sports#Txinga eramatea (weight carrying)|txinga eramatea]]'': carrying of weights, one in each hand, representing milk canisters.
* ''[[Basque rural sports#Ahari topeka (ram fighting)|ahari topaketa]]'': ram fights.
* ''[[Basque rural sports#Harri zulaketa (hole drilling)|harri zulaketa]]'' competitions: drilling stone blocks with a metal bar, only in the former mining areas of West Biscay.
* [[Basque rural sports#Txakur probak (sheepdog trials)|Basque sheepdog trials]] competitions.

===Bull runs and bullock games===
The [[encierro]] (bull run) in [[Pamplona]]'s [[festival|fiestas]] ''[[Festival of San Fermín|Sanfermines]]'' started as a transport of bulls to the ring. These encierros, as well as other bull and [[Cattle|bullock]] related activities are not exclusive to Pamplona but are traditional in many towns and villages of the Basque country.

===Football===
{{Main|Basque Country national football team}}

There are several clubs within the Basque Country, such as [[Athletic Bilbao]], [[Real Sociedad]], [[Deportivo Alavés]], [[SD Eibar]] and, as Navarre club, the [[CA Osasuna]] (the only club in [[La Liga]] that has a Basque name—''osasuna'' means "health"). In the 2016–17 season these five clubs played together in La Liga, the first instance where five Basque clubs have reached that level at the same time. Athletic's [[Athletic Bilbao signing policy|recruitment policy]] has meant the club refuses to sign any non-Basque players, with "Basque" currently defined to include either ethnic Basques or players of any ethnicity trained by a Basque club.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.athletic-club.eus/en/club.html |title=Athletic Club Official Site – Club overview including 'code' |access-date=2017-03-16 |archive-date=2017-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821003244/http://www.athletic-club.eus/en/club.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Real Sociedad also previously employed such a policy.

===Basketball===
{{main|Basque Country autonomous basketball team|Basque basketball derby}}

The Basque Country also features several professional basketball teams, the most notable of which is [[Saski Baskonia]] from Vitoria-Gasteiz, one of the 11 clubs that own stakes in [[Euroleague Basketball]], the company that operates the continent-wide [[EuroLeague]] and [[EuroCup Basketball|EuroCup]]. They are currently joined in the Spanish top flight, [[Liga ACB]], by [[Bilbao Basket]], with the two clubs involved in a [[Basque basketball derby|longstanding rivalry]]. Another club from the Basque Country, [[Gipuzkoa Basket]] from Donostia, currently plays in the second-level [[Liga Española de Baloncesto|LEB Oro]].

===Rugby union===
[[Rugby union]] is a popular sport among French Basques, with major clubs [[Biarritz Olympique]] and [[Aviron Bayonnais]] traditional powerhouses in the premier division of French Rugby (the [[Top 14]]). Biarritz regularly play [[European Rugby Champions Cup|Champions Cup]] matches, especially knockout matches, at [[Estadio Anoeta]] in [[San Sebastián|San Sebastian]]. Games between the Basque clubs and Catalan club [[USA Perpignan]] are always hard fought.

===Professional cycling===
Cycling is popular and the {{UCI team code|Euskaltel}} professional cycling team, partly sponsored by the Basque Government participated in the UCI World Tour division until 2014. Known for their orange tops and hill-climbing ability, their fans were famous for lining the famous Pyrenean climbs in the Tour de France, in support of their compatriots.

Each April the week-long [[Tour of the Basque Country]] showcases the beautiful rolling Basque countryside. [[Miguel Indurain]], born in [[Villava]] is one of the most celebrated cyclists in the world having won 5 consecutive [[Tour de France|Tours de France]].