Itzulia Basque Country 2024, April 1-6

[Froome]

Epic attack by Skeletor 70 km from the line on stage 6 only to be stomped by YouKnowWho at the end!

That would be a nightmare!😂 but an epic moment for CyclistAbi.

 

[Froome]

The route of Iztulia 2021 was really good. It's a shame the route is not that good this year, because the field is good.

 

[topcat]

If Vingo loses, route not hard enough
If Remco loses, focussing on Liege
If Roglic loses, peaking for the tour(?)
If Ayuso loses, no slimy excuse needed
It's going to be a race for the ages (Itzulia, eat my shorts)

 

[CyclistAbi]

I analysed the route and the field and it computed epic. It just can't be any other way, too much prestige involved.

 

[hayneplane]

If Krebellin was closer to the finish maybe. But that climb is 67km from the end. Why would Vingegaard want to chew up his reserves on a 67km solo for a week long race in April? Long raids are Remco territory. That is how he became world champion.

Has there ever been a summit finish at the top of Krabelin or is it too small for any stage final infrastructure?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Has there ever been a summit finish at the top of Krabelin or is it too small for any stage final infrastructure?

Well, if I‘m not mistaken Krabelin is just Arrate from the other side so there‘s definitely space.

 

[Gigs_98]

Expectations are higher because this race is usually good. Abject mediocrity and 5% tempo grinders are as much a travesty to the spirit of País Vasco as a route with no short walls in the Marche is a travesty to Tirreno-Adriatico or an edition of the Ronde van Vlaanderen where they only used tarmacked climbs like Knokteberg, Nieuwe Kruisberg, Leberg and Berendries.

It's not really much about 5% tempo grinders though. There is precisely one stage that fits your description (and fair enough, I also dislike that stage) with the main climb of the next three stages all being significantly steeper. Izua and Gatzaga are in fact pretty steep. Now there are no real double digit percentage leg breakers in crucial positions and I agree that's a pity. But the lack of "steep climbs" is nowhere near as bad as some people make it seem.

 

[Netserk]

Has there ever been a summit finish at the top of Krabelin or is it too small for any stage final infrastructure?

The Arrate finish-line is at ~800 m from the top of the climb (coming from the other direction):

A map may help:

The three red dots mark the top of the ascents (it's ~flat between the two rightmost ones), from left to right: Ixua/Izua, Usartza & Krabelin. The black dot marks the Arrate finish-line. The three green dots mark the different places to start from, from left to right: Eibar, Matxaria & Azitain. Until 2016, the latter two were never used. It was either the Ixua/Izua pass over the main road or to the Arrate finish as a dead-end from Eibar.

As an aside, next time the Vuelta finishes at Arrate, an option would be to use all three sides: Up from Matxaria, down to Eibar and up to Arrate from Azitain.

 

[Ulle97]

If Remco can produce his best climbing performances, (like on Les Praeres, Pico Jano) he'll win this race out.

 

[scribers]

Vingo to alien ITT and ride this to victory by 12 minutes.

Edit: oh wait, this isn't July yet. nevermind

 

[repre]

Hope so and that just not watch either.

But probably it will be a really close race unless someone either smash the TT or is so much stronger than the rest on the climbs.

REMCO!!!

 

[Extinction]

Ayuso had also been injured and only done Romandie before Suisse.

It is not like he had the perfect season or build-up to either Suisse or the Vuelta, because didnt he crash in Circuito de Getxo - Memorial Hermanos Otxoa as well? Not even accounting for the lack of race days.

Itzulia seems tailor-made for Remco and the hope that he can challenge in the Tour lives on for a few more months.

It's about being strong, what this means is providential, not the result. Third, fifth, tenth is secondary in the Tour now for the long game.

 

[Blanco]

1.Roglic
2.Vingegaard
3.Evenepoel

 

[Nick2413]

Roglic has the most pressure by far imo, being with Bora and after a lackluster PN. Remco will also be compelled to impress and he rides well out here. Vingegaard I could see winning or chilling with a casual podium finish, there’s really nothing high stakes about this for him.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There are two stages with 5% climbs as the final challenge, the rest are harder.

Got luck to you and Rick in getting "at least two bunch sprints" with Remco and Jonas in this field.

I never said anything about sprints. But I'd be surprised if there's anything particularly decisive before Leintz-Gaztaga, Lizarrusti won't be particularly decisive and certainly not with 20km left to go. With that and Kanpo you've got two stages that likely have no impact other than crashes, and you have them back to back. The Amorebieta stage is basically a couple of laps of the old Klasika Primavera circuit before, it had some pretty ropey fields in later years and hasn't restarted post-pandemic, but back in 2009-13 when it had some decent fields usually a group of 20-25 contested a sprint at the end.

It feels like it's designed to have a final day epic at the expense of any meaningful action in the rest of the race, so hopefully it at least delivers that epic. Major 2011 vibes, only at least this time the final stage everybody can wait for is the only proper decisive road stage, whereas back then the final stage was a TT longer than usual for the race.

 

[Didinho]

No more TT socks in helmets from April 1st. Quickstep won’t ride with it. They’ve done new wind tunnel tests with Remco and now they’re saying the difference is minimal. I think it was more about let the helmet stay in position and a tiny bit better air flow.

I guess Visma also had to change their UFO?

 

[kn0s]

No more TT socks in helmets from April 1st. Quickstep won’t ride with it. They’ve done new wind tunnel tests with Remco and now they’re saying the difference is minimal. I think it was more about let the helmet stay in position and a tiny bit better air flow.

I guess Visma also had to change their UFO?

Think the UFO was ok.

 

[Taxus4a]

I can't see Remco or Roglic beating Vingegaard even if they put 30 seconds on him in the TT.

if they put that distance on the ITT, yes, of course. Vingegaard needw real mountain stages, longer climbs to win these peple, Remco is veru good in this kind of climbs and he has Landa s help.
Rogic is good for these races, but if all of them are at the same shape I think is not the favourite

 

[memyselfandI]

I'm not sure this kind of tt makes any meaningful difference between Vingo, Remco and Roglic though I think Vingo is not the worst bike handler overall if it's wet weather for example.

 

[Netserk]

No more TT socks in helmets from April 1st. Quickstep won’t ride with it. They’ve done new wind tunnel tests with Remco and now they’re saying the difference is minimal. I think it was more about let the helmet stay in position and a tiny bit better air flow.

I guess Visma also had to change their UFO?

The UCI to carry out an in-depth analysis of the regulations governing the design and use of time trial helmets

www.uci.org

After conducting a thorough process, which included consultation with Specialized, as well as examination of documentation linked to the helmet’s certification, safety instructions, and information from public sources, it was concluded that the head sock is a “non-essential” component (article 1.3.033 of the UCI Regulations). As a result, the head sock integrated into the TT5 helmet will no longer be permitted for use at events on the UCI International Calendar, effective from 2 April, 2024.

 

[Didinho]

The UCI to carry out an in-depth analysis of the regulations governing the design and use of time trial helmets

www.uci.org

Thanks. So technically they can wear it Monday. In the newspaper Lefevere said April 1st, maybe he doesn’t know 😁

 

[pelotonIQ]

This edition is tailor-made for Remco, it is almost as if he himself designed the route.

GC prediction:

1. Evenepoel
2. Vingegaard
3. Roglic

 

[Ulle97]

This edition is tailor-made for Remco, it is almost as if he himself designed the route.

GC prediction:

1. Evenepoel
2. Vingegaard
3. Roglic

I'm going for Remco to win this too.

It just feels like the time is ripe for some Remco hype and for the forum to blow up with reaction to his beat down of the invincible Vingegaard!!

 

[cen]

Hoping for 2021 level drama

 

[Berniece]

This edition is tailor-made for Remco, it is almost as if he himself designed the route.

GC prediction:

1. Evenepoel
2. Vingegaard
3. Roglic

TT would’ve been longer if he designed it