Itzulia Basque Country 2024, April 1-6

[AnotherArmChair]

I dont understand why Soler took those seconds...he knew Ayuso had won it and the second didnt give him any advantage ??

They took 1st place from him they could have let him have 2nd

If I were Skjlemose I'd be pissed

 

[DNP-Old]

I dont understand why Soler took those seconds...he knew Ayuso ahd won it and the second didnt give him any advantage ??

They took 1st place from him they could have let him had 2nd

If I were Skjlemose I'd be pissed

Sir, this is a race.

 

[Screecher]

Sir, this is a race.

Yet the stage win was gifted and not raced for.

 

[Lequack]

I dont understand why Soler took those seconds...he knew Ayuso ahd won it and the second didnt give him any advantage ??

They took 1st place from him they could have let him had 2nd

If I were Skjlemose I'd be pissed

Soler was mad that Skjelmose chased him down when he was on the attack.

 

[DNP-Old]

Yet the stage win was gifted and not raced for.

Yes, and?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Ethan Hayter finished 18th!!! Someone tell Carlton!!!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I dont understand why Soler took those seconds...he knew Ayuso ahd won it and the second didnt give him any advantage ??

They took 1st place from him they could have let him had 2nd

If I were Skjlemose I'd be pissed

I doubt Skjelmose cares too much about that.

 

[perico]

I dont understand why Soler took those seconds...he knew Ayuso had won it and the second didnt give him any advantage ??

They took 1st place from him they could have let him have 2nd

If I were Skjlemose I'd be pissed

Soler finished in the Top 5 overall. That’s why. Prize money and UCI points.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So we had an interesting ending despite the lack of three musqeteers! Well played by UAE, Soler was man of the day to me. Bridging from the peleton to the breakaway, threatening the GC lead and helping Ayuso at the end and ... giving Rodriguez the 2nd place in the GC with the final sprint! Ayuso attacked two times and succeeded in the GC with the help of stage winner Rodriguez. Congrats to both!

 

[Extinction]

I dont understand why Soler took those seconds...he knew Ayuso had won it and the second didnt give him any advantage ??

They took 1st place from him they could have let him have 2nd

If I were Skjlemose I'd be pissed

Because Ayuso and Rodriguez are mates.

 

[yaf]

Soler took the bonus seconds that put Rodriguez ahead of Skjelmose in GC.

Spanish conspiracy 😄

 

[Lequack]

Good news of the day is that Jay Vine will not require surgery for his vertebrae fractures

https://twitter.com/x/status/1776596662598746362

View: https://twitter.com/TeamEmiratesUAE/status/1776596662598746362

 

[Libertine Seguros]

So this race ended up more or less exactly as predicted by those who were told off for being negative about the race route.

A prologue, then two crappy stages where nothing of value or interest other than crashes happened, then another sprint on the Amorebieta stage, then the race organisers banked everything on the last stage being important from afar and it was.

The only thing we didn't predict was that the only other place where time could be won or lost was neutralised due to the big crash.

Hopefully the fact today was good does not deflect attention from the fact that the four days between the prologue and today were absolutely terrible, and we get a return to a more typical Itzulia next season.

 

[Salvarani]

Yeah, honestly shut the hell up about "boho its bad manners", this aint a tea party, this is a god damn race and Soler is racing for every second as he should. That could easily be the diffeerence between a 4th or a 5th and what not, you don't really know whats going on or having the full picture of it, and regardless, its still a third on a stage.

Exactly, finishing third on the stage is not bad either.

 

[DNP-Old]

Ethan Hayter finished 18th!!! Someone tell Carlton!!!

My theory is Hayter looks so godawful because he has insane FOMO and is afraid of having to miss Paris. So much so that he is frightened of just the thought of having to manoeuvre in the tiniest bit of a nervousness in the peloton, resulting in a mental blockade.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Because Ayuso and Rodriguez are mates.

Mainly because it made a lot of sense for both of them, I think. Also helps they speak the same language, but this outcome and how they played it was very obvious and should come as a surprise to exactly zero people on this forum. Very standard stuff

 

[pastronef]

WHAT A STAGE, and what a win for the UAE team. they played it perfectly it was great to watch. Bax, Arrieta, SUPER SOLER, Ayuso. and cherry on the cake Rodriguez gets the stage for Ineos. muy bien!

 

[Salvarani]

Because Ayuso and Rodriguez are mates.

?

Didnt have much to do with today.

Rodriguez rode himself up to 2nd overall and won a stage. He didnt just help Ayuso and pulling because they are "mates".

 

[Tim Cahill]

My theory is Hayter looks so godawful because he has insane FOMO and is afraid of having to miss Paris. So much so that he is frightened of just the thought of having to manoeuvre in the tiniest bit of a nervousness in the peloton, resulting in a mental blockade.

Yeah he told Rodriguez to attack yesterday apparently because he didn't want to get involved in the sprint. Say's he's been doing work in the gym for the track and hasn't worked on his sprint/doesn't want to risk it so not sure why they've been working for him a bit.

 

[Valv.Piti]

So this race ended up more or less exactly as predicted by those who were told off for being negative about the race route.

A prologue, then two crappy stages where nothing of value or interest other than crashes happened, then another sprint on the Amorebieta stage, then the race organisers banked everything on the last stage being important from afar and it was.

The only thing we didn't predict was that the only other place where time could be won or lost was neutralised due to the big crash.

Hopefully the fact today was good does not deflect attention from the fact that the four days between the prologue and today were absolutely terrible, and we get a return to a more typical Itzulia next season.

Tbh stage 4 looked very decent, and the time trial should have been worth watching, but wasn't. I think all they need to do is drop one of stage 2 or 3 for a selective day on some proper muros and you have a perfect race in this region.

 

[Tim Cahill]

UAE's classic '5 leaders and inshallah' strategy actually worked after we were having a good laugh at their team at the start of the race

 

[scribers]

I am wondering what the situation would be today with Roglic, Vinge and Evenpoel still riding. Would they be attacking, would Ayuso still get away?

Ayuso would still be the first human

 

[yaf]

Skelmose watching the lady dance on the podium was like😑 😂

 

[Peyroteo94]

This particular stage is just a great design. This entire race would have just super good if stage 2 or 3 would have featured a classic murito or three, but circumstances meant it wasn't really worth watching outside of this last stage.

Juan Ayuso seems to have taken a step this year. Who knows what he can do in July...

I can't really say that. He was obliterated by Vingegaard in Tirreno. And this field in Itzulia is very weak when we take out the Big 3

 

[DNP-Old]

Yeah he told Rodriguez to attack yesterday apparently because he didn't want to get involved in the sprint. Say's he's been doing work in the gym for the track and hasn't worked on his sprint/doesn't want to risk it so not sure why they've been working for him a bit.

Very dubious thing for Hayter to do in a contract year tbh.