Itzulia Basque Country 2023 (April 3-8)

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Hoping Quinten Hermans can show something in Itzulia. His last prep race for the hilly classics as a (co-)leader. He's fast, maybe a chance today.

said so in the pre race interview, but currently he is chilling at the very back

 

[DNP-Old]

In fairness, an Aranburu in top form (and it's his home race, so he will definitely be good here) is strong enough to give the normal version of Hayter trouble.

Idk, I'm not a firm believer of magical watts due to a home race. I think Hayter should beat Artaburu more often than not.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Monster leadout by Fraile, Hayter needed like three pedal strokes after he peeled off.

 

[Didinho]

What a weird sprint. Hayter takes it.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Currently visiting South Africa so I've got used to the "international feed" in races recently, but just tuned in to the dulcet tones of Kirby today (currently getting excited over Hayter)

 

[JRanton]

Plapp and Fraile were immense for Hayter there.

 

[Red Rick]

Very random but was the intermediate sprint the same as the Vuelta stage finish last year?

 

[JRanton]

Monster leadout by Fraile, Hayter needed like three pedal strokes after he peeled off.

Plapp also did a monster pull I thought to position them for the final 1.5km.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Dumb stage should have done a prologue instead

 

[Lequack]

Kirby keeps calling Skjelmose as Shellmose

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[yaco]

Hayter was never going to lose that stage when his leadout, Fraile could have won the stage.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Very random but was the intermediate sprint the same as the Vuelta stage finish last year?

Yes and no. They did the final ~300 metres of that stage today, so partially the same hill, but the sprint was at the end of the steep bit rather than after another ~60 metres of false flat like the Vuelta did.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Plapp also did a monster pull I thought to position them for the final 1.5km.

Yes, Plapp was also fantastic today, huge pull from about 4k to go having already done a lot of work for Martinez at the intermediate. Perfect day for Ineos, really.

 

[HelloDolly]

Fraile could have won that himself

But INEOS are back and so is Ricard Carapaz

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Plapp and Fraile were immense for Hayter there.

Yep. Plapp had also lead Martinez out at the last intermediate. Castro spent an age on the front too.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Astana's ninth WT top ten of the season (not counting TTTs)... and the seventh of those that was eighth, ninth or tenth. Yikes.

 

[Elos Anjos]

Poor Bernal

 

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some guys seem to be fairly confident that GC won't be decided on countback in the end:

54 Higuita
56 Uran
57 Landa
69 Bilbao
83 Yates
89 Soler

 

[RedheadDane]

Kirby keeps calling Skjelmose as Shellmose

At least the graphics people got Skjelmose's name right:

Compare and contrast GP Miguel Indurain, where it was just all over the place:

Though, I guess explaining to Spanish people that "He has two last names*, the first one is the one he uses." wouldn't have been too difficult.

*Yes, I know technically 'Skjelmose' is his middle name.

 

[search]

Though, I guess explaining to Spanish people that "He has two last names*, the first one is the one he uses." wouldn't have been too difficult.

Skjelmose is listed like that on the UCI page (first name Skjelmose Mattias, last name Jensen), so I guess that's the main problem here.

The timing provider seems to have adjusted the Spanish ones, though, so should be able to do so for others as well, once they notice its incorrect.

 

[Pinot's goat]

some guys seem to be fairly confident that GC won't be decided on countback in the end:

54 Higuita
56 Uran
57 Landa
69 Bilbao
83 Yates
89 Soler

Safety is far more important than trying to finish in the top 20 thinking that it well help on countback in a 6 day stage race with lots of steep gradients.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Though, I guess explaining to Spanish people that "He has two last names*, the first one is the one he uses." wouldn't have been too difficult.

*Yes, I know technically 'Skjelmose' is his middle name.

Of course it wouldn't be too difficult, I mean, you know how Spanish names work, right?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

At least the graphics people got Skjelmose's name right:

Compare and contrast GP Miguel Indural, where it was just all over the place:

Though, I guess explaining to Spanish people that "He has two last names*, the first one is the one he uses." wouldn't have been too difficult.

*Yes, I know technically 'Skjelmose' is his middle name.

But I'm pretty sure they would never misspell the name of one of the biggest riders in history...

 

[ice&fire]

Very random but was the intermediate sprint the same as the Vuelta stage finish last year?

yes