"Those of us in the area know that curve very well…" - Joseba Beloki on the unprotected section of Itzulia Basque Country that left Vingegaard, Evenepoel & more with broken bones
Cycling
Thursday's stage of the 2024 Itzulia Basque Country was rocked by a massive crash. First reports suggested youngster, Markel Beloki had been caught up in the incident although that wasn't the case.
This news was fully confirmed by Beloki's father, former star of the peloton in his own right, Joseba Beloki via his official X (Twitter) account. "First, thank you for the messages you have sent me asking if Markel was in the fall as the first news indicated. He hasn't fallen," Beloki senior writes.
Knowing the roads however, Beloki was well aware of the threat of a crash on that particular downhill section of the stage. "Those of us in the area know that curve very well…" he says. "Easy because of the angulation but very complicated because of the ground. Internal roots surprise you in the middle of the road. How many incidences during the year at this point?"
This being a known area of danger is not something that was only known to Beloki either. Plenty of voices have emerged in the time since the crash that has left the likes of Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel among others, laying in a hospital bed with broken bones.
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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Primero, agradecer los mensajes que me habéis enviado preguntando por si Markel estaba en la caída como marcaban las primeras noticias. No ha caído. Segundo y con respecto a la caída. Los de la zona conocemos muy bien esa curva…
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