Itzulia Basque Country 2024, April 1-6

[RedheadDane]

Sepp got the mountains jersey in the end

Is it just me, or does the first quick glance make it look like that jersey has a rather unfortunate pattern, considering all the crashes...?

 

[samhocking]

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

Olympic year, there is no way he's throwing all that away for a sprint in this race. He has bigger fish coming.

 

[Salvarani]

Olympic year, there is no way he's throwing all that away for a sprint in this race. He has bigger fish coming.

Yup, there is money in the Olympics and a lot of exposure for that. More than in these races.

His own team and others with knowledge in cycling knows what he can do, but he is all in for the Olympics this year.

 

[Nick2413]

Wow what an end to the race. Impressive by Rodriguez and great descending skills. Soler always involved in drama. Just have to find him Spanish riders to work for and he will do it no questions asked.

 

[Red Rick]

I liked the 2021-2022 stage design better. Krabelin is too early now

 

[Salvarani]

Final stage was perfect and the design made the racing great.

Will be few races that will deliver this type of racing this season.

One of the best stages in a while.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Ayuso only 13s off Vingegaard's time last year, who was flying, very decent.

 

[Froome]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1776679120383967714

View: https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1776679120383967714


Not bad ajuso.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I miss all racing today. Why Marc soler didn't win?

 

[RedheadDane]

QS haven't been having a great race...


Soudal Quick-Step (WT)

• 11EVENEPOEL Remco (DNF #4)
• 12GELDERS Gil* (DNF #5)
• 13KNOX James (DNF #6)
• 14LANDA Mikel (DNF #5)
• 15LECERF William Junior*
• 16SERRY Pieter (DNF #6)
• 17VERVAEKE Louis (DNF #6

 

[Didinho]

Haven’t seen much this Itzulia. How was Bagioli? Wanna see him in his Lombardia form for the upcoming hilly classics, especially Liege.

 

[Extinction]

?

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".

The dynamic has more to it. The agreement was, I'm quite certain, that Rodriguez would have gotten the stage with Soler sprinting for third so that Rodriguez got 2nd GC, because Ayuso and he are mates.

 

[tobydawq]

Ion Izagirre was 9th in this race. That was his 20th top 10 in one of the seven big one-week stage races.

He is now tied with Quintana as the current pro with most top 10's in GC of those races AND with the 9th spot, he completed his set so he is now the only current pro who has occupied all different spots in the top 10 of one of the seven major one-week stage races.

Romain Bardet is closest to accomplishing that feat, but unfortunately for him, 1st place is the one missing from his set... (which is obvious since no Frenchman has won one of these races since 2007).

 

[dazaau]

I mean, Soler was still riding for his own gc here, so I don't see anything wrong with being ruthless in the sprint.

So cold by Soler, delivered for his team and his country. Poor Skjelmose, did all he could but was worked over hard today

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Finally managed to watch some bike racing.
And how rewarding. What a thriller of a stage!
Chapeau!

Edit:
And yet again no crashed - my thesis "watching vs. non-crash race" now adding pattern to be transcending in time - fate knew in advance that I surprisingly would have the opportunity to watch final stage this evening anyway.

 

[proffate]

Tbh Rodriguez should have gifted it to Ayuso. Ayuso only needed 4 seconds on skjelmose and got that easily on his own. Rodriguez needed 50 seconds so he should have been motivated to tt as hard as possible, plus gift the stage to Ayuso in return for the latter's help.

Hindsight 20/20 I guess.

 

[Rob5091]

The two best guys on the day came in together. Rodriguez got the win (which should boost his confidence) and Ayuso the GC so both went home happy. UAE seemed to work as a team, which does not always happen so good for them too.
Obviosly this Itzulia edition will be remembered for those who did not finish, but maybe some good will come from that. Shorter stages and trying to keep the GC guys within seconds of each other, results in a super stressed peloton where no one wants to be near the back for the fear of missing out. Add in bonus seconds sprints, which might decide the GC and it's a reciepe for disaster.
Longer harder stages with all the bonus seconds at the finish (first 5 guys over the line maybe) would help.

 

[Squire]

Haven’t seen much this Itzulia. How was Bagioli? Wanna see him in his Lombardia form for the upcoming hilly classics, especially Liege.

Usually Skjelmose's second-to-last man, but not really very impressive. That might be a good thing though, because he has never had good form for more than five days straight, so if he was great now he'd be a definite bust for the Ardennes.

 

[Oldermanish]

QS haven't been having a great race...

Soudal Quick-Step (WT)

• 11EVENEPOEL Remco (DNF #4)
• 12GELDERS Gil* (DNF #5)
• 13KNOX James (DNF #6)
• 14LANDA Mikel (DNF #5)
• 15LECERF William Junior*
• 16SERRY Pieter (DNF #6)
• 17VERVAEKE Louis (DNF #6

Patrick is going to need to think of another sport for the remaining team to participate in. The carnage is almost complete after watching Alpecin clean up at PR.