Itzulia Basque Country 2024, April 1-6

[hfgon1]

It seemed to have been raced hard from to start to finish, but still ended with 30+ guys sprinting for the win.

And it will probably be the second toughest road stage this week.

I think it was an pretty interesting stage. Normally yesterday would have been the second hardest stage and we would look different on this stage. Not a bad route design in my opinion.

 

[Escarabajo]

I think Betancur had better results than Hayter. And a better excuse for sucking. The Empanadas in Colombia are a delight!!

 

[DNP-Old]

Hmm. Big difference is Banana Man couldn't give a darn. Hayer otoh is actively trying, is in contract year and working towards his magnum opus in July.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Aular's seated-sprint was a thing of beauty

 

[Netserk]

I think it was an pretty interesting stage. Normally yesterday would have been the second hardest stage and we would look different on this stage. Not a bad route design in my opinion.

In isolation, this was decent. A typical reduced bunch sprint of Itzulia.

As the third hardest stage?! No, this was yet another wasted opportunity.

 

[search]

It seemed to have been raced hard from to start to finish, but still ended with 30+ guys sprinting for the win.

And it will probably be the second toughest road stage this week.

I'd still say it was a pretty good stage, and at no point clear how it would end. It came down to a sprint, but when a solo victory looks still about as likely with 500m to go, it's surely not a bad stage design.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

What is Betencur up to now ...does anyone know ?

In fairness Betencur had the excuse of burgers and beers

 

[Tim Cahill]

Younger than Mikel Landa by the way. Ye of little faith, Bananito will return, Movistar need someone for the Ardennes/Giro!

 

[DNP-Old]

What is Betencur up to now ...does anyone know ?

In fairness Betencur had the excuse of burgers and beers

 

[DNP-Old]

Hayter will be ready for Paris, I have no doubts. The way he is destroyed Ganna in the TP two years ago is something I haven't seen often. His road career otoh is fading.

 

[Red Rick]

Do you think this was a bad stage?

3rd bunch sprint in Itzulia....

 

[Volderke]

What is Betencur up to now ...does anyone know ?

In fairness Betencur had the excuse of burgers and beers

I don't know what Betancur is doing, but H2H with Hayter, they have a very similar graph.
If they are supposed to evolve the same way, Hayter is past his peak.

Carlos Betancur versus Ethan Hayter

Head to head career results between Carlos Betancur and Ethan Hayter. The overal score is 54.5% for Carlos Betancur versus 45.5% for Ethan Hayter. A comparison on same race results, time trial points and the points per age.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Nice finish. Really close. Schachmann could be back for the classics.

Spoiler: Spoiler: Liège result

 

[AnotherArmChair]

I think I'd like Schachmann to win this race now ...he impressed today

Also very impressive is del Toro but he is not riding for himself

Guess Ayuso will win

 

[Squire]

I think I'd like Schachmann to win this race now ...he impressed today

Also very impressive is del Toro but he is not riding for himself

Guess Ayuso will win

Why is Skjelmose not an alternative? He looked the strongest today.

 

[Netserk]

Why is Skjelmose not an alternative? He looked the strongest today.

I expect him to be leaned on heavily after Krabelin tomorrow, and I doubt that he will handle it well. It's not like he can just mark Ayuso, then the other UAE riders will attack.

 

[KZD]

This has to be one of the worst editions of Itzulia since I watch the race.

Even if we try to put yesterday aside, we are having multiple crashes everyday and only two real GC stages, the first of which we didn't even got to watch, which is well below what would be expected from such race

At least good to see Grégoire stepping up today.

 

[Rackham]

I think I'd like Schachmann to win this race now ...he impressed today

Also very impressive is del Toro but he is not riding for himself

Guess Ayuso will win

Rog leading GC crashes twice & Schachmann wins... I feel I've seen this movie before.

But seriously, I also want Schachmann to win now. It would be great for the team (& for him).

 

[AnotherArmChair]

Why is Skjelmose not an alternative? He looked the strongest today.

I am not sure he can control the race tomorrow and UAE are too strong imo

 

[Mayomaniac]

I think Betancur had better results than Hayter. And a better excuse for sucking. The Empanadas in Colombia are a delight!!

I always heard rumours about the reason being a lot less funny and a serious thing.

 

[zlev11]

can't believe Ethan Hayter didn't win today and then I thought Manny Bookman won and it turned out to be some spanish rider or some *** (who cares what his name is, right?). but then he didnt win either? only one more day left of listening to the flawless and well balanced Carlton Kirby on the 1's and 2's and his boy BriSmithy to make sure we know all the British riders in the race.

 

[Stasat]

Hayter just seems terrified to be anywhere near other riders on the run in. All the physical attributes but lacks the mentality.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yes, given the rest of the route and what was possible.

It's almost like those of us who criticised the route could predict what would happen! I posted that we could expect to see 25 riders sprinting it out today before the race even began, using the results of the Klasika Primavera with the same finish from the days when it had a good field:

I never said anything about sprints. But I'd be surprised if there's anything particularly decisive before Leintz-Gaztaga, Lizarrusti won't be particularly decisive and certainly not with 20km left to go. With that and Kanpo you've got two stages that likely have no impact other than crashes, and you have them back to back. The Amorebieta stage is basically a couple of laps of the old Klasika Primavera circuit before, it had some pretty ropey fields in later years and hasn't restarted post-pandemic, but back in 2009-13 when it had some decent fields usually a group of 20-25 contested a sprint at the end.

It feels like it's designed to have a final day epic at the expense of any meaningful action in the rest of the race, so hopefully it at least delivers that epic. Major 2011 vibes, only at least this time the final stage everybody can wait for is the only proper decisive road stage, whereas back then the final stage was a TT longer than usual for the race.

Hey look, it's almost like the criticisms were well-founded.

Only it's even worse than I anticipated, because the big crash yesterday cost us the only even potentially decisive action between the prologue and the final stage.

 

[ice&fire]

You couldnt make it up ...his 2 obsessions in one
Plus does he know the Bora Kit one wonders ?

It's obvious he can't tell a Venezuelan flag from a German one

 

[Wvv]

Just read the reports to discover that Landa is the next big victim. Can it stop already?