With two consecutive stage wins by Mischa Bredewold, SD Worx-Protime have maintained their good report of successful all eight levels of the Itzulia Women thus far, spanning three editions since 2022.
The closing stage of the 2024 version sees the Dutch tremendous group within the driver’s seat with 4 riders positioned properly within the common classification, however the different groups are raring to wrest the txapela, the normal Basque winner’s trophy, from their heads.
Bredewold has a lead of 14 seconds on Juliette Labous (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) and 15 seconds on Mavi García (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), primarily because of bonus seconds for her two stage victories. Élise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) is fourth total at 18 seconds earlier than the following SD Worx-Protime rider, Demi Vollering at 19 seconds.
The Dutch group additionally has Swiss champion Marlen Reusser in eighth place at 27 seconds whereas Niamh Fisher-Black is one in all 25 riders who’re 29 seconds behind, giving them 4 playing cards to play on the ultimate stage. Only Liv-AlUla-Jayco have comparable energy in numbers as Caroline Andersson, Ella Wyllie, and Urška Žigart all sit at 29 seconds along with García.
By distinction, Labous has no well-placed teammates, however however, her group won’t need to weigh its choices and might throw its full help behind the Frenchwoman. Movistar Team have sixth-placed Olivia Baril at 21 seconds and Arlenis Sierra proper behind her in seventh place at 23 seconds.
FDJ-SUEZ’ Évita Muzic is ninth total at 28 seconds, with Léa Curinier at 29 seconds. Lidl-Trek nonetheless have three riders in putting distance with Shirin van Anrooij, Amanda Spratt, and Isabella Holmgren, however like Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi with Ane Santesteban, Yurani Blanco, and Usoa Ostolaza, they must go on the assault in the event that they need to win the race total.
Mendizorrotz the decisive climb
The closing stage contains three categorised climbs and a number of other unclassified hills. The first half of the 114.9-kilometre stage is an almost-continuous up-and-down whereas the second half is extra flat however contains the toughest climb of the day.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, opinions and knowledgeable shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
The well-known Jaizkibel climb crests after 42.6km and is classed as a first-category climb. It can be essential for Valentina Cavallar (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) in her quest to win the polka-dot jersey: If she may be first over the Jaizkibel and the third-category Gurutze climb, she is unreachable within the mountain classification and solely has to complete the stage to win the QOM jersey – however that is simpler mentioned than accomplished.
After Gurutze, an intermediate dash on the end line in Donostia after 75.5km affords precious bonus seconds earlier than the race closes in on the Mendizorrotz climb. The second-category ascent is 4.1km lengthy with a median gradient of seven.3%, however the climb begins a lot steeper as the primary 1.8km are unrelenting with a median gradient of 11.3%, maxing out at 19%.
Once this wall – often known as the Murgil Tontorra within the Clásica San Sebastián – is finished, the remaining 2.3km are simpler however provide a possibility to increase any gaps opened on the steep half. From the highest of the climb, there are 28.5km to the end in Donostia, most of it nearly fully flat, with one other intermediate dash 12km from the road.
On paper, this run-in ought to give dropped riders sufficient time to return to the entrance, as has occurred on the 2 earlier levels. Much will rely on what number of and which riders are nonetheless collectively after the gruelling climb: The smaller the group, the extra possible it’s that there’s a widespread dedication to maintain the transfer going, whereas a bigger group is liable to fall sufferer to indecision and infighting.
On stability, although, it seems unlikely that Bredewold will have the ability to come again and win one more stage to equal Vollering’s 2022 report. Instead, the ultimate stage will most likely be determined between the strongest climbers and punchers reminiscent of Vollering, Labous, García, Chabbey, and Van Anrooij.