Itzulia Basque Country 2022 April 4-9

[search]

Stage 3 will either be great or mediocre, if the latter, then GC should stay closer than we normally see here until the final day.

I don't think it can be mediocre. It's basically 90k full action, constantly up and down, left and right, on super narrow roads. Should be fun to watch

 

[AlfaLum]

Will be a very interesting race to watch with Roglic being the favorite by a big margin. Really curious how Evenepoel will do in this race, see if he can break his consecutive streak of getting dropped when it gets really tough. For me he is still the biggest challenger for Jumbo here because of the danger he poses when he can go solo.

Ineos with a super strong block here. Yates is great but so far has never found a recipe to beat Roglic. DFM has made a very good impression so far and he will probably build on that. For Thomas and TGH the moment is also there to start showing better form if they want to make something of their season. Quite some room in these stages to play with the numbers, so with Rodriguez, Tulett and Fraile also here the team seems amazingly strong.

Lastly strong block with Bora with an interesting duo in Vlasov and Higuita. Both have shown strong performances already. However Roglic is the type of competitor that usually breaks Vlasov. For Higuita this is also a bigger challenge still then Catalunya. Buchmann and Kamna could be good to but haven’t shown a lot recently to be considered GC contenders.

For Woods, Alaphilippe and Gaudu it will be their final moment to get back to good form ahead of the Ardennes, so an important moment. Mas, Bilbao and Ion Izagirre will have to perform to honor the Spanish flag.

Looking forward to the next few days!

 

[armchairclimber]

Padun is the one that interests me most here. Is he as good as Vaughters suggests ... and is he fat or skinny.
His TT isn't too shabby.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Really looking forward to this race. After all, Tour of the Basque Country is the second-best race of the year (with TdF being best). But that is just my opinion.

I hope Evenepoel is strong, and that he is a serious competitor to Primoz. Every race Remco starts, I sadly fear he will disappoint us once again. So fingers crossed he‘ll be good.

This week will also tell us more about the relationship between Remco and Ala. Both want to win Liege in few weeks time.

The favourite for today could even be Roglic. For Remco, the TT might not be flat enough. Today‘s TT, however, could be Remco‘s only chance for a stage win within the whole race. If he has the climbing legs from Tirreno, he will have a battle with Emu Buchmann for 21st rank in the final GC.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Today I hope to see the fitness of Evenepoel the most after his Tirreno performance.

 

[Lequack]

 

[Lequack]

Primoz seems to be a bit cold

https://twitter.com/x/status/1510675494383017989

View: https://twitter.com/ehitzulia/status/1510675494383017989?s=20&t=CSACd7hbwnnDI2D0N75HUQ

 

[greyclouds]

Will be a very interesting race to watch with Roglic being the favorite by a big margin. Really curious how Evenepoel will do in this race, see if he can break his consecutive streak of getting dropped when it gets really tough. For me he is still the biggest challenger for Jumbo here because of the danger he poses when he can go solo.

Ineos with a super strong block here. Yates is great but so far has never found a recipe to beat Roglic. DFM has made a very good impression so far and he will probably build on that. For Thomas and TGH the moment is also there to start showing better form if they want to make something of their season. Quite some room in these stages to play with the numbers, so with Rodriguez, Tulett and Fraile also here the team seems amazingly strong.

Lastly strong block with Bora with an interesting duo in Vlasov and Higuita. Both have shown strong performances already. However Roglic is the type of competitor that usually breaks Vlasov. For Higuita this is also a bigger challenge still then Catalunya. Buchmann and Kamna could be good to but haven’t shown a lot recently to be considered GC contenders.

For Woods, Alaphilippe and Gaudu it will be their final moment to get back to good form ahead of the Ardennes, so an important moment. Mas, Bilbao and Ion Izagirre will have to perform to honor the Spanish flag.

Looking forward to the next few days!

Regarding Vlasov, isn't he racing a bit too much this year for a GT focused rider? With Itzulia he will have 29 days on his legs, but he still has LFW, LBL, Romandie and Dauphine in this calendar, before doing the Tour. I would have thought that the Giro would be a better suit for him, especially that he already seems to be in a pretty decent shape.

For today - it's a very short hilly'ish ITT, so really anything can happen. I could see Dani Martinez or even Uran pulling one off, but Roglic and Remco will always be the favourites for the stage win.

 

[Ancalagon]

I hope Evenepoel is strong, and that he is a serious competitor to Primoz. Every race Remco starts, I sadly fear he will disappoint us once again. So fingers crossed he‘ll be good

It seems to me that Martinez, Yates, Vingegaard are bigger favourites that Remco.

 

[search]

to me it doesn't look like a good route for Remco either. Nor for the Jumbo doms to controle. Could be completely open

 

[johnymax]

What about Cavagna for todays ITT? Can he challenge Primož and Remco?

Also Alaphilippe could do well. Those are my top4 picks. I'd have Jonas 5th, but he disapponted in the last ITT. I'm curious to see how he goes.

 

[search]

I'd say it's a bit too much climbing for Cavagna, and his shape is a bit of unknown as well after his injury. Same for Alaphilippe after his bronchitis - but yeah, I see today's course as perfect for him as well. At his best, he could even win all of the first five stages.

 

[Netserk]

Not sure i get the idea behind having certain riders start with 2 minute intervals and others with 1 minute intervals, when no GC has been established yet and there is no logic in the starting order. Now you get certain contenders either for the stage or either for GC who get to start 1 minute behind a slower rider with a potential draft situation. While other stage or GC contenders have to wait 2 minutes.

It's TV logic. Fewer riders to cover when Rogla is on the road.

 

[search]

not sure if team cars will be allowed to go through the city, but if yes, it's probably also no advantage at all to run into another rider in front late in the race. More on the opposite.

 

[Samamba]

Is there going to be livetiming somewhere?

 

[Velolover2]

Personally, I don't think this is a bad route for Remco at all. Of the lesser 7, the Itzulia suits him the most. No high mountains or 5-10 km monster climbs.

He is fine at shorter muritos. Remember Burgos, San Seb and the Fermo stage this year? Anything uphill for less than 3 km shouldn't be a problem.

The question is if Usartza stage too much climbing. I think that is very close to his limit.

 

[search]

it's not the climbing I worry about (even though I think he is better on less steep ones). It's race intelligence, descending, general technical abilities. Stuff like that

 

[Netserk]

Of the lesser 7, the Itzulia suits him the most.

Over Romandie?

 

[KenFiamingo]

These Itzulia maps are pure stage profile porn!

 

[Mayo from Mayo]

Is there going to be livetiming somewhere?

Looks like it maybe on itzulia website.

This year follow the Itzulia from the official RaceCenter — Itzulia Basque Country

The 2022 edition of the Itzulia Basque Country has a new tool for following the race live. Itzulia’s organisers will be reporting everything that happens in the race live on its official website via the Live Tracker platform developed by Basque firm helmuga.cloud. The platform will display the...

itzulia.eus

 

[gregrowlerson]

GT to win the opening TT.

Then lose huge chunks of time in the subsequent stages.

Red Rick to state that, "Climbs are underrated."

 

[YavorD]

Beautiful race. Hard to see past Roglic for this one.
Remco is my favorite for the TT though,.

But without Masnada there should big IF next to the winner's name..

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1510943641711394817

View: https://twitter.com/ehitzulia/status/1510943641711394817?s=20&t=EtYuwKygUPju6zYAchJomg

 

[CyclistAbi]

Is Rogla starting today or does he plan to skip ITT?

 

[CyclistAbi]

Primoz seems to be a bit cold

https://twitter.com/x/status/1510675494383017989

View: https://twitter.com/ehitzulia/status/1510675494383017989?s=20&t=CSACd7hbwnnDI2D0N75HUQ

The questions are cold.

Journalist: Will you win?
Rogla: It's chilly out here.