Itzulia Basque Country 2023 (April 3-8)

[Potomac]

I think Rigoberto Uran will win this.

you beat me to it

 

[Potomac]

Hopefully somebody will make stage 1 interesting.

 

[Red Rick]

Right now it looks like a golden opportunity for a lot of riders to take a WT stage race win for dudes who didn't get one yet. Route is quite interesting, stage 3 and 5 are better than I expected based on the official profiles, but stages 1, 2 and 4 are just very underwhelming, which is a bit sad if you take out the ITT.

 

[HelloDolly]

One of my favourite races of the year ...last year it was a humdinger
I like all the steep climbs and of course the fans

Good field with Vinge, Mas, S Yates, Landa, Gaudu, Carapaz, Soler, Danny Martinez, Chaves, Buchmann, Bilbao , Higuita, Bernal

But I am looking to the 2 Rodriguez, esp the INEOS one to make a splash and do well

 

[shalgo]

Ayuso no longer on the start list?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Ayuso no longer on the start list?

Removed on the PCS provisional lists for both this and Indurain this morning, can't find any details though. In any case, this looks like becoming a lost year for him.

 

[AlfaLum]

This race kinda feels like it is designed to get Bilbao a GC victory on home soil.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Some bad news: stage 5 has taken a major nerf with the cancellation of the penultimate hill. Another (not actually bad) change is that stage 3 has had a cat. 3 added mid-stage by the looks, the text isn't really clear here. Will update the OPs with the climb changes, new profiles are not currently available. Very disappointing that this happens so late once again, just like with Catalunya, WT races can and should do better.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I keep getting server errors when trying to update the stage 5 post but this is what's changed:

It backs immediately into the climb to Arriandi. This climb has been removed and replaced with a short flattish section.

This is then followed by the climb into Katia. It is the first half of the climb to Autzagana, of which all profiles to be found online are outdated following the conversion of the road to an expressway. The route follows the new service road, which is surprisingly steep early on due to the need to detour around a gas station. The approach to this climb is now also different: drag up the bottom part of the highway, down a short but steep exit ramp, then joining the profile below at the start of the 11.7% section. So a slightly easier climb that's further from the one that now links into it...

The stage 3 post has been correctly updated.

 

[KZD]

Disappointing to see no TT either in this race or in Catalunya. The race should be very open until the last stage which is probably what the organisers want.

Vingegård should still be the favourite though.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Updated stage 3 and 5 profiles:

 

[Sciatic]

Updated stage 3 and 5 profiles:

So it looks like Stage 3 still has those 4 uncategorized muritos of 9%-10% in the last 20 k that Mayomaniac pointed out on the previous page. Should be an excellent finale.

 

[tobydawq]

Rui Costa for the win.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Parcours favours Gregoire heavily, other GC favourites should be sh*tting themselves.

 

[RedheadDane]

Parcours favours Gregoire heavily, other GC favourites should be sh*tting themselves.

Dumoulin is retired.

 

[tobydawq]

Dumoulin is retired.

Surely, what he did was not shitting himself.

 

[Rackham]

Gaudu with a breakthrough WT stage race victory. He's punchy enough for this sort of route.

 

[SafeBet]

Surely, what he did was not shitting himself.

Not in 2017, you're right.
Possibly in 2019 after Yates' comment?

 

[DNP-Old]

Romain Gregoire to snatch his first pro win right here.

 

[Divergence]

Agreed regarding the route remarks. As for Vinge, it's too early anyway. Dauphine is the place where first glimpses of the monster should appear.

I disagree. If Vinge looks like how he looked at PN, there should be some serious questions withing JV about the TdF. Besides, last year he was not a monster, if you are refering to that, Pog was just underwhelming (both tactically and a bit physically I guess).

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I disagree. If Vinge looks like how he looked at PN, there should be some serious questions withing JV about the TdF. Besides, last year he was not a monster, if you are refering to that, Pog was just underwhelming (both tactically and a bit physically I guess).

Please tell me, what superb performances did Vinge have before last year's Dauphine? None. His level this years looks similar (and in February he actually had some impressive rides). As for the Tour, he was a monster who absolutely crushed all non-Pogacar guys. Even if Pog had been in full flight on Granon it would still have been a very tight contest that Vinge could have won (Hautacam was very impressive even If Pog was suffering from the crash a bit).

 

[RedheadDane]

I disagree. If Vinge looks like how he looked at PN, there should be some serious questions withing JV about the TdF. Besides, last year he was not a monster, if you are refering to that, Pog was just underwhelming (both tactically and a bit physically I guess).

Sure you're not still bitter than Roglic has chosen to focus on the Giro?

 

[Divergence]

Please tell me, what superb performances did Vinge have before last year's Dauphine? None. His level this years looks similar (and in February he actually had some impressive rides). As for the Tour, he was a monster who absolutely crushed all non-Pogacar guys. Even if Pog had been in full flight on Granon it would still have been a very tight contest that Vinge could have won (Hautacam was very impressive even If Pog was suffering from the crash a bit).

My point exactly. He has not had any. At the Dauphine he was a bit better than a hurt Rogla. At the TdF, I believe, the level of all the riders was fairly low and Vinge's level was very good so he won. But this year, if he is at the same level as last year's TdF, I do not think he can win.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Sure you're not still bitter than Roglic has chosen to focus on the Giro?

Well Divergence did say people with no pro wins shouldn't be trusted.

 

[Divergence]

Sure you're not still bitter than Roglic has chosen to focus on the Giro?

I believe the team chose the Giro for him. He probably would have chosen the TdF. And he is a better rider than Vinge for sure, no question in my mind about that.