Itzulia Basque Country 2022 April 4-9

[RedheadDane]

Valverde ate father time.

I was about to write that, but then I thought it was a little bit too brutal.

Guess we found out who here has a sick, twisted mind.

 

[tobydawq]

I was about to write that, but then I thought it was a little bit too brutal.

Guess we found out who here has a sick, twisted mind.

Didn't you think the same thing? So how is your mind more healthy, straight?

 

[RedheadDane]

Didn't you think the same thing? So how is your mind more healthy, straight?

Because I was able to stop myself, and think "Hey, wait. No... that's just wrong!"

 

[search]

"2-2,5km @ 10%" doesn't quite cover it though.

you are talking about different stages there . Don't think today will be an issue, but Saturday GC action basically from the start looks likely to me.

 

[yaco]

Adam Yates' attacks are so innocuous that Roglic leaving gaps can still be played down to poor positioning cause Yates wasn't dropping anyone and it was too crowded for Roglic.

Difference between Adam and Simon on this type of climb is that Simon can keep his peak power longer to get the gap and then ride at a higher threshold.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Looks like 1 km which is brutal for Remco, but the final 5 favors him big time. They must drop him in km 2

Even if they drop him 15-20 seconds, given Remco rides his own pace in the steep part and not blow up, he would probably make it back quite easy in the last 20 km into the finish.

 

[AlfaLum]

The Urruztimendi before is also far from ideal for Remco. He might get dropped again. But yesterday the other contenders where not really racing against him. So if the same is applicable today he might be able to get back again. In that case he indeed seems a real threat on that second part of the Vivero climb and the rest of the final.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Problem for Remco isn't the steep parts, even if he gets dropped a bit he can claw his way back as we've seen. His problem is that Jumbo are fully aware of how dangerous his attacks on rolling terrain in the last 15km are and they won't let him go, especially with Vingegaard being on great form there just isn't much he can do, even more so if the likes of Yates or Mas are content to fight for a GC Top 5 and also close down his moves.

 

[Blanco]

Looks like 1 km which is brutal for Remco, but the final 5 favors him big time. They must drop him in km 2

And you think Roglic will just let Remco go...

 

[search]

And you think Roglic will just let Remco go...

there's a bit of confusion here I think. Houtdffan was (and is?) talking about Saturday's stage. Then LS posted the profile from today's climb as a reply to it. So now there's talk about Saturday, based on the climb profiles from today.

 

[Netserk]

And after Vingegaard shut everything down, Roglic was out of position and didn't get bonifications. Got what they deserved.

From sitting in 5th position on Vlasov's wheel, he tried to move up at the wrong place.

 

[Eclipse]

Problem for Remco isn't the steep parts, even if he gets dropped a bit he can claw his way back as we've seen.

Remco got back on after the steep bits because nobody thinks he's winning the race. It was literally Yates pace making and then sitting up after every steep section with nobody else having any interest in pushing the pace.

I don't see much hope for particularly interesting action until Saturday. Jumbo will martial everything. Ineos are close enough they have cards to play so no need to gamble. Maybe you get a dice roll from one of the smaller teams or Alaphillipe thinks he can steal something.

 

[No Risk No Glory]

Congratulations to Pello Bilbao López de Armentia for taking the win and for beating world champion.

Evenepoel again with a good lead out but likely the duo started a bit to early today. In addition don't reveal your "secret plans" yelling in front of the camera. Today was a nice race. A lot of action involved. Thomas did a good job. So did Ineos as a whole. Yates after constantly trying to put the leader under pressure. As for the way Rogla raced today. I feel that he was racing rather confident today. He had Vingegaard and i feel that occasionally he "positioned bad" intentionally. Likely he even wanted for competition to try to attack in some areas. Like that flat section. I doubt he wanted to win today. As that would be just wasting energy that will be needed in stages yet to come.

I also think he looked rather confident and was riding smartly, waiting for others to close the gaps and then doing it himself without any problems when he saw nobody was going to do that. Besides, he knew he had Jonas there marking every move.
By the way, now I see I was wrong Jonas is clearly working for Rogla and did a brilliant job yesterday. Sepp, on the other hand, got dropped rather early...

 

[search]

a super strong group of 14 guys up the road now: C. Rodriguez (+2:12 in GC), Armirail (+2:45 in GC), Lafay & R. Fernandez, G. Thomas, Vansevenant, Guerreiro, Donovan, Grmay, O. Rodriguez, Formolo, Iturria, Großschartner, Cepeda.

Eenkhoorn was in there as well, but Jumbo called him back and is chasing now, together with Kern Pharma. The gap ~1:10

 

[Red Rick]

a super strong group of 14 guys up the road now: C. Rodriguez (+2:12 in GC), Armirail (+2:45 in GC), Lafay & R. Fernandez, G. Thomas, Vansevenant, Guerreiro, Donovan, Grmay, O. Rodriguez, Formolo, Iturria, Großschartner, Cepeda.

Eenkhoorn was in there as well, but Jumbo called him back and is chasing now, together with Kern Pharma. The gap ~1:10

Never question the power of random Spanish conti team missing breakaway and then working.

 

[Samamba]

Only Bahrain might help Jumbo out. Rest of the contenders have teammates in the break. Bad situation for Jumbo. It's going to be a very fast and hard stage like this.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I hope we see some attacks from a distance.

Gaudu has Amirail up the road

Yates and Martinez have Thomas

Mas has Rodriguez

Alaphilippe and remco has vansevenont

Uran has guierrerio

Soler has Formolo

Izagirre has Lafau and Fernandez

Vlasov has Großchartner

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Yeah, Vlasov and Yates looked good yesterday and Thomas and Großschartner are very good domestiques to have up the road, hopefully they try something.

 

[houtdffan]

there's a bit of confusion here I think. Houtdffan was (and is?) talking about Saturday's stage. Then LS posted the profile from today's climb as a reply to it. So now there's talk about Saturday, based on the climb profiles from today.

Yes, I was talking about Saturday's stage

 

[Lequack]

Insight into the commentator's cabins

https://twitter.com/x/status/1512053578474692610

View: https://twitter.com/euskadi_irratia/status/1512053578474692610?s=20&t=mvW4ECg0WumA_n_kOWY2Fw

 

[CyclistAbi]

Sepp, on the other hand, got dropped rather early...

Likely intentionally. As his expertise will be much needed in the days to come. And we are looking forward to that. To see Sepp in the element on a steep climb!

 

[Lequack]

Primož Roglič - Interview at the start - Itzulia Basque Country 2022 - Stage 4

 

[Velolover2]

What happened to Woods? Yesterday's stage was perfect for him. Not in shape after some sickness?

 

[CyclistAbi]

According to the wiki:

Not Sepp enough.

Sepp enough.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Is that ramp at the end of the stage big enough? Or should we wait till tomorrow?