Itzulia Basque Country 2024, April 1-6

[Netserk]

Shite route.

 

[Elos Anjos]

There's some serious mojo going on...

 

[red_flanders]

Landscape here looks a lot like San Luis Obispo in the spring.

 

[Salvarani]

Good to say Ayuso on his bike.
I do not like it when - however briefly - riders are shown to be immobile.

Looked like someone had fallen over him.

 

[JosefK]

Nibali says, "Don't look at me. I'm retired. Voodoo doll is in the closet."

 

[tobydawq]

Hayter embarrassingly slow.

 

[red_flanders]

Roglič coming in at 18 indicates he's either...

• Fine and in good shape to continue
• Addled for getting in the middle of the spring on a stage when he could have pulled off after 3k left...

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Reminder that this bunch sprinter hermans was remco's biggest rival in his Liege wins

 

[Tim Cahill]

Hayter should not be given a team to control and a proper leadout if he can't stay on a wheel in the last corner and just doesn't have the pace, they need to sign a proper sprinter as the ones they have are completely unserious.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

I dont like this route

road furniture and dangerous corners aside it has 3 of the top 4 GC riders here and no way to test them against each other on a long climb ?

I mean who was this race aimed at ...too hard for pure sprinters, too easy for climbers/GC and most classics riders are in Belgium

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I put too much pressure on Aranburu yesterday and he couldn't quite cope with it.

 

[tobydawq]

Reminder that this bunch sprinter hermans was remco's biggest rival in his Liege wins

?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Good to say Ayuso on his bike.

Ayuso on his bike.

I don't feel any different though.

 

[Netserk]

Vingegaard has perhaps the worst bike throw of all riders.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So Rogla is down again...but not out. It's yet to be seen how much he feels the effects in the coming stages. Ayuso down as well, pretty shitty day for some GC contenders.

Sporting moment of the day: Skeletor was fighting for bonuses. What anaerobic power! Fatco barely overtook him.

 

[Salvarani]

Reminder that this bunch sprinter hermans was remco's biggest rival in his Liege wins

Spot on. Thank you for that reminder!

 

[Elos Anjos]

Roglič coming in at 18 indicates he's either...

• Fine and in good shape to continue
• Addled for getting in the middle of the spring on a stage when he could have pulled off after 3k left...

• adrenaline rushed, will realize how bruised he is after a shower.

 

[Frobisher Bay]

?

Bit of trolling of course, Hermans beat Wout Van Aert in the sprint in the 2022 edition for the second place, but it is ludicrous to claim he was Evenepoel's biggest rival.

 

[red_flanders]

• adrenaline rushed, will realize how bruised he is after a shower.

Probably the most accurate.

But I'd file that under #2...

 

[tobydawq]

Bit of trolling of course, Hermans beat Wout Van Aert in the sprint in the 2022 edition for the second place, but it is ludicrous to claim he was Evenepoel's biggest rival.

I know.

 

[postmanhat]

Hayter should not be given a team to control and a proper leadout if he can't stay on a wheel in the last corner and just doesn't have the pace, they need to sign a proper sprinter as the ones they have are completely unserious.

Yes, he lost so many positions in that last corner, reminiscent of Viviani in some ways. So sad to see him decline so quickly this early in his career.

Ineos might as well buy a decent sprinter as they've got a pretty good leadout, and their opportunities for points elsewhere are declining rapidly.

 

[Rackham]

Brutal. We have no idea what happened with Rog's crash either. It seems like he hit his head or something.

At this point I just want the doctors to do a thorough check-up now re potential concussion.

 

[Red Rick]

Ganna is unironically the best sprinter on Ineos at this point

 

[Taxus4a]

Roglic 18th today, best of the GC riders...It possible tomorrow pay a little the crash, but he shoudl not be bad

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Ironically, had Roglic not crashed, the tempo on the last climb might have been a lot higher, with a reduced group going to the finish, and the big crash might not have happened either.