59th Itzulia Basque Country (2.UWT) 8 - 13 April

[Pricey_sky]

Yates needs to go across as well.

Edit: he is!

 

[Scarponi]

Riders going around Buchmann now

 

[Salvarani]

Buchmann is cooked

He is done

 

[70kmph]

lol Bookman dropping

 

[Salvarani]

Buchmann should probably wait for the group behind instead of chasing on his own. Only gonna get himself more tired doing that.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

This could become a stage for the ages

 

[Valv.Piti]

At some point, Bora was like 1-2-3 yesterday. After this stage they will have no one in the top-5!

Could potentially be one of the best stages of the year this one.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Buchmann should probably wait for the group behind instead of chasing on his own. Only gonna get himself more tired doing that.

But then if he sits up he leaves the door open for the Mitchelton riders to try and get up the road and join Yates in the front group. If that happens he is done for.

 

[Simurgh]

Crazy descending by Buchmann!

 

[Salvarani]

Re: Re:

Buchmann should probably wait for the group behind instead of chasing on his own. Only gonna get himself more tired doing that.

But then if he sits up he leaves the door open for the Mitchelton riders to try and get up the road and join Yates in the front group. If that happens he is done for.

Maybe not sit up but hope that the group behind catches up. Because if he dont close the gap on his own, he will be empty pretty soon.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Great effort by Buchmann on the descent, he needs to get across here.

 

[Salvarani]

Yeah, wait for the group behind

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Re:

Great effort by Buchmann on the descent, he needs to get across here.

Sat up now

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah, its pretty much over. If Izagirre doesnt have a bad day he should win this pretty comfortably on home turf. That would really be special for him!

 

[Velolover2]

Gotta admit, there are two one-week races that never disappoint: Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

Didn't see this coming.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Gotta admit, there are two one-week races that never disappoint: Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

Didn't see this coming.

PN was literally over before most GC stages

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Yeah, its pretty much over. If Izagirre doesnt have a bad day he should win this pretty comfortably on home turf. That would really be special for him!

I think Yates is still dangerous. He needs a minute, however, and Izagirre and Fuglsang should be able to keep him within such a time but he looked very strong on the other climb where he and Martin got a small gap at one point.

But it would make Izagirre's career if he ended up winning this race. I really hope he does.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

Gotta admit, there are two one-week races that never disappoint: Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

Didn't see this coming.

PN was literally over before most GC stages

Yeah ok.. This year wasn't as spectacular.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Gotta admit, there are two one-week races that never disappoint: Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

Didn't see this coming.

PN was literally over before most GC stages

Yeah, but at least here we see a true tactical masterpiece by Astana. Letting Buchmann away on the penultimate day but having to make a huge effort that he wouldn't be able to recover from for today, where they put the nail in Bora's coffin.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Gotta admit, there are two one-week races that never disappoint: Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

Didn't see this coming.

PN was literally over before most GC stages

Paris-Nice was somewhat mediocre this year, but still better than most races tbh. We have just been blessed with previous editions being extremely good so we have come to expect a great race year after year. Sometimes thats not the case and thats pretty normal. Still a decent enough races in my opinion.

Pais Vasco is just dependent on not making a shitty route that they did the year Valverde won. Otherwise thats also almost a good to great race.

 

[Akuryo]

Re: Re:

Gotta admit, there are two one-week races that never disappoint: Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

Didn't see this coming.

PN was literally over before most GC stages

Yeah, but at least here we see a true tactical masterpiece by Astana. Letting Buchmann away on the penultimate day but having to make a huge effort that he wouldn't be able to recover from for today, where they put the nail in Bora's coffin.

Thats not a tactical masterpiece, they just got their sh*t together after they fked it up yesterday.

 

[tobydawq]

Pogacar is just 20 years old. What an absolutely insane kid he is.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

Gotta admit, there are two one-week races that never disappoint: Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

Didn't see this coming.

PN was literally over before most GC stages

Paris-Nice was somewhat mediocre this year, but still better than most races tbh. We have just been blessed with previous editions being extremely good so we have come to expect a great race year after year. Sometimes thats not the case and thats pretty normal. Still a decent enough races in my opinion.

Pais Vasco is just dependent on not making a ****** route that they did the year Valverde won. Otherwise thats also almost a good to great race.

It also helps that there is no strong SKY team to pull of the usual train tactics. Think about it, Tirreno and Pais Basque have been the two greatest stage races this year and in both instances, SKY have been completely absent.

 

[sir fly]

Was Izagirre supposed to help Fuglsang or vice versa?
I mean before the GC shaped up like this.

 

[tobydawq]

@Valv

You will never get Emil to change his opinion of his pre-race favourite xD