Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) is making a powerful bid to ascertain herself as the primary rival for Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime). After ending runner-up within the Vuelta Femenina and beating the Dutchwoman on a summit end, Muzic took second on stage 2 of the Vuelta a Burgos Féminas, this time behind Vollering on the hilltop end on the Alto de Rosales.
Muzic was not on the entrance of the peloton going into the three.8-kilometre climb however was introduced into place by Jade Wiel after which Léa Curinier set the tempo. She was simply not capable of observe Vollering’s stage-winning assault.
“We have been certainly positioned slightly bit far within the bunch due to some crashes. We by no means panicked and bought to the entrance earlier than the ultimate climb,” Muzic defined to Cyclingnews.
“The crew then did an awesome job to depart me in the very best place potential. That’s what issues probably the most. This is a key ingredient on which I improved loads not too long ago.”
Her teammate Loes Adegeest, working as co-commentator for the race on Dutch TV, agreed that whereas positioning wasn’t Muzic’s strongest ability, she had gotten higher at it in comparison with earlier than.
Muzic was subsequent to Vollering when the latter attacked on the ultimate kilometre however couldn’t fairly match the Dutch champion’s punchy acceleration. On the final little bit of the climb, nonetheless, Muzic made up a little bit of floor on Vollering once more, ending 4 seconds down.
The 24-year-old is now second within the basic classification. In the 2022 version, she was total runner-up behind Juliette Labous (Team DSM), ending forward of third-placed Vollering on stage inserting countback.
In this version, Muzic has an eight-second deficit to beat if she desires to change into the second French total winner.
After a flat stage on Saturday, the Vuelta a Burgos Féminas finishes on Sunday, per week earlier than Muzic’s twenty fifth birthday. The last stage contains the Alto de Rozavientos. A steep 3.5km climb, with a median gradient of 9.3% cresting 15.8km from the end, provides an awesome springboard for a GC-winning assault – however Muzic understandably wouldn’t present her hand forward of time.
“We will see what the race brings us for the subsequent two phases,” she was tight-lipped concerning the crew’s plans for the remainder of the race.
