Itzulia Basque Country 2026, April 6-11

[Escarabajo]

One rather large challenge left for Seixas, stage 6:

And I've been told that we finally see some rain. What would the Itzulia be without rain? The idea is intolerable.
Love the rude wake up call. Barely out of the neutral zone, bang: 4.6km@7.6%.
Think big , Ion, but without taking big risks. Lets go.
Edit: This should be broadcasted from km 0.

I looked at the stage and it seems very tough to me—yet there isn’t a single Category 1 climb. The categorization can definitely be misleading!

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Paul Seixas on Eurosport:
"At first I didn't expect Lipowitz to pull because he had Roglic behind but then he did which was great for me, I was able to recover. He was very strong today until the end."

Didn’t Lipowitz commit to working for Roglic? Not saying he should if he’s better (he shouldn’t), it he at least shouldn’t work against him.

 

[search]

what would have happened if Roglic had returned, though? Seixas would have no reason to do his turns anymore, and the two Bora guys don't really seem to work for each other either.

Honestly, to me it doesn't look like tactics or thinking plays any part at all in Lipowitz' race, though. So always hard to say what he would do, as normal logics don't apply.

 

[BubbaChuck]

did anyone hear from lipovitz,lmaoo. i thought they gonna cook seixas,when unc rogla went upthere and gave him the look.

 

[jono]

When I first started reading these forums, it seemed the worst possible insult you could call a rider was a wheelsucker.

Now, if you're not by miles the strongest rider in the race, you're an idiot if you dare put your nose in the wind before 100m to go.

Perhaps we could strike a balance?

 

[CyclistAbi]

what would have happened if Roglic had returned, though?

At minimum world peace.

Perhaps we could strike a balance?

Strike in the balls.

 

[jonan92]

I looked at the stage and it seems very tough to me—yet there isn’t a single Category 1 climb. The categorization can definitely be misleading!

Yeah, it's though. It will be fun to see how easy and fast the ride it tomorrow while us mortals while suffer a lot on Sunday riding the challenge (the same stage but rided as a gran fondo)

 

[Cookster15]

Seixas is entitled to have an "off" day. Maybe it was the heat? Tomorrow might tell more about his recovery but really he is only 19 so I would not read too much other than he is quite a phenomenon - and he can even descend! Today despite being "weaker" Seixas still won the two man sprint easily and now has a 2'30" lead on Lipowitz. Good ride from Lipo.

 

[Red Rick]

Seixas is entitled to have an "off" day. Maybe it was the heat?

It depends by what standard you're measuring.

Some argue he's a certain level now and in that context it doesn't matter at all that he's just 19.

 

[CyclistAbi]

So where does Rogla attack tomorrow? Early on or on the ultimate climb?

 

[AmRacer]

So where does Rogla attack tomorrow? Early on or on the ultimate climb?

Nowhere.

 

[Berniece]

So where does Rogla attack tomorrow? Early on or on the ultimate climb?

If he actually wants to try something, he should go on the first or second climb

 

[canina82]

It depends by what standard you're measuring.

Some argue he's a certain level now and in that context it doesn't matter at all that he's just 19.

So are you implying he can't be on the podium in July?

 

[AmRacer]

Rogla won't attack Lipo, and Sexias is unreachable.

 

[memyselfandI]

Rogla won't attack Lipo, and Sexias is unreachable.

Probably goes just like this. If Seixas has grown y/y like juniors do in that age, the steps are quite big and because of that he handles load of this size of race presumably ok. Doesn't mean at all that handles Tour size of load like Lipo and Roglic does.

 

[CyclistAbi]

If he actually wants to try something, he should go on the first or second climb

Nowhere.

Yeah i guess best to sleep it over and to see on how it goes. It's anywhere from first climb to nowhere. We'll see.

 

[Gratemans]

Anybody got any clue why Laurance didn't start today? Can't find any info whatsoever anywhere.

 

[Bertram Wooster]

So are you implying he can't be on the podium in July?

First, to be on the podium, he will have to start...

 

[Escarabajo]

So where does Rogla attack tomorrow? Early on or on the ultimate climb?

50 meters from the finish!

 

[CyclistAbi]

50 meters from the finish!

Not in the right team for that. So i guess we at least know on where it won't happen!

 

[Rob5091]

Big question, is Izagirre going to the Tour as he's in great shape!

 

[Oldman]

They are down over 2 minutes.

They should be much more worried about securing their own podium spots than gaining time on Seixas.

You start with a possible limit-discovery of the young phenom as a strategy as long as it doesn't harm the overall. It didn't.

 

[Old-school]

He's a mediocre cyclist in general, with good legs but he does everything wrong.

Well, his tactic was a bit strange. I guess he thought being first in the last turn and pushing on the pedals was the best thing to do for him.
In any case, on the descent, he held the wheel of Seixas very well.
Many professionals would like to be as mediocre as him 😉

 

[memyselfandI]

Big question, is Izagirre going to the Tour as he's in great shape!

Well for the last five yrs his results in Itzulia, good or bad, have not meant any remarkable success in the Tour whatsoever..

 

[Red Rick]

So are you implying he can't be on the podium in July?

No I didn't.

I'm mostly talking about arguments he's already good enough to challenge for the top 2. And all the W/kg people that will ignore a tailwind and perfect pacing certainly didn't help.

Right now I think he makes a clear case for 3rd best in certain stages, but I do think the caveat if he can do it in GTs applies a bit more to him than for other riders because this is the 2nd stage race in a row where he looks stronger early in the race than later in the race.