PREVIEW | Itzulia Women 2024 - Demi Vollering the main favourite after La Vuelta Femenina win

Cycling
Thursday, 09 May 2024 at 19:18
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From May 10th to 12th, another Spanish race in the Women's World Tour swiftly approaches. Set in the Basque Country, the peloton will tackle the hilly terrain of Itzulia Women. Let's preview this upcoming race.

Stage 1: Vitoria-Fasteiz - Elgoibar, 140.2 kilometers
Stage 1: Vitoria-Fasteiz - Elgoibar, 140.2 kilometers

The first stage of the race is a tricky one... A breakaway could succeed as not all sprinters will be confident of making it to the finish, but also climbers don't really have terrain to make the difference. The day features two difficult climbs but the latter one summits with 42 kilometers to go; there is another one closer to the finish but it is nowhere as difficult. A sprint finish is expected in Elgoibar.

Stage 2: Basauri - Basauri, 104.4 kilometers
Stage 2: Basauri - Basauri, 104.4 kilometers

The second day of racing is not too different. It is shorter in distance; only 104 kilometers on the menu but with a brutal 1.5-kilometer long climb at over 12% summiting with 39 kilometers to go will certainly split the race. In the following flat kilometers it may come back together, but the final 7 kilometers will feature a few explosive hilltops which could very well see a late attack set off for victory.

Stage 3: San Sebastián - San Sebastián, 115.1 kilometers
Stage 3: San Sebastián - San Sebastián, 115.1 kilometers

Possibly the queen stage of the race. From and to San Sebastián, the riders find the rolling roads that make the region famous. However two climbs are set to make serious damage:

Jaizkibel (6.8Km at 6.2%; 71Km to go) and Mendizorrotz (3.4Km at 8.4%; 28Km to go). The last one specially features gruesome gradients and is climber territory. The GC could be decided on these climbs, but after the last one there is still a long flat run-in back to the city where a lot can happen. 

Prediction Itzulia Women 2024 overall classification:

*** Demi Vollering
** Evita Muzic, Marlen Reusser
* Niamh FIsher-Black, Elise Chabbey, Ricarda Bauernfeind, Juliette Labous, Pauliena Rooijakkers

Pick: Demi Vollering

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