"Coming from the Tour, we know that the condition can be good" - Can 'Tour legs' see Giulio Ciccone win in San Sebastian?
Cycling
'Tour legs' are a phenomenon that has been over time associated with the Clásica San Sebastián more than any other race. The idea behind it is that despite the fatigue, before going into a bigger resting period riders can have an excellent form peak one or two weeks after finishing the Tour de France. Coincidentally, the Basque classic has always been at this spot in the calendar and often the winner came straight from the Tour. That can happen today again, can Giulio Ciccone benefit from this situation?
Perhaps this year is an abnormality as the Tour has now finished three weeks ago. There has been a bigger gap due to the presence of the Paris Olympic Games, but nonetheless we have got some of the Tour's best climbers set to take to the start including runner-up Jonas Vingegaard, Mikel Landa, Santiago Buitrago, Simon Yates and Ciccone himself.
Will they be able to benefit from the three weeks of incredible climbing performances and race rhythm gathered from it still? “Today is a very nice race. It’s one of my favorite one-day races. Obviously, coming from the Tour, we know that the condition can be good but at the same time there can be a bit of tiredness, let’s see how it goes," Ciccone said at the start today in San Sebastián.
The Italian leads Lidl-Trek into today, a team that also features strong climbers in Juan Pedro López and Patrick Konrad. The 29-year old is a rider who typically thrives in the types of climbs that will be faced today, that are not overly long but are tough enough to drop most puncheurs and classics riders. After finishing eighth in the Criterium du Dauphiné and 11th at the Tour de France, it can be expected that he will remain consistent with his performances and battle for a top result this afternoon.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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