The stage racing season is underway throughout Spain, and with the conclusion of La Vuelta Femenina, strikes into the back-to-back Itzulia Ladies, from Might 10-12, and Vuelta a Burgos Feminas, from Might 16-19.
If the Vuelta was any indication biking followers are in for 3 days of action-packed racing. Itzulia Ladies is ready to start in with a 140km race from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Elgoibar that may set the tone for the general classification with its punchy parcours.
Nonetheless, because the race continues with stage 2’s hilly 104km race in Basauri after which finale queen stage 3 in Donostia, the final classification might go to any variety of all-rounders among the many peloton.
Reusser will as soon as once more be a favorite, even after recovering and returning to racing following a crash on the Tour of Flanders, although she’ll face a substantial problem in her quest to defend the title. Cyclingnews highlights the important thing riders to look at on the three-day Itzulia Ladies.
SD Worx-Protime received two consecutive Itzulia Ladies titles, with Demi Vollering in 2022 and Marlen Reusser in 2023, and now the intention is to make it three.
The workforce arrives at Itzulia Ladies recent off claiming the general at La Vuelta Femenina. It was Demi Vollering’s first victory of the season, a profitable peak timed to perfection, and she’s going to undoubtedly carry that high kind into the following two stage races, aiming for phases and a high place within the general classifications.
Nonetheless, SD Worx-Protime have proven that they don’t have to depend on one rider with a view to achieve success relating to each one-day and stage racing, and like finally yr’s Itzulia Ladies, Marlen Reusser shall be a key rider to look at as she goals to defend her general title.
The punchy terrain fits each Vollering and Reusser, however Reusser has the power to make use of her time trial energy in strategic breakaways and that lends nicely to constantly gaining time within the general classification every day.
Reusser has had a turbulent spring, however she has recovered from sickness and the accidents sustained in a crash on the Tour of Flanders, which included fractures to her jaw, each ear canals and a number of other damaged enamel.
She stated that she is able to strive for a second consecutive victory, which might be a part of a stepping stone to greater targets on the Tour de Suisse and Giro d’Italia Ladies.
Pauliena Rooijakkers will lead the Fenix-Deceuninck workforce at Itzulia Ladies. She has had expertise racing for the final classification on the occasion after ending second general within the 2022 version behind Demi Vollering.
Fenix-Deceuninck has proven promising kind this spring, particularly on the latest La Vuelta Femenina, the place Yara Kastelijn secured two podium finishes and eighth general, whereas Rooijakkers’ consistency throughout the ultimate 4 phases led to ninth place general.
Kastelijn is not racing at Itzulia Ladies, which suggests the workforce shall be solely centered on stage alternatives and an general classification end result with Rooijakkers.
The shorter and punchier climbs at Itzulia Ladies, in comparison with the Vuelta, may higher go well with Rooijakkers, who could be among the many strongest within the finals however may be a breakaway card for Fenix-Deceuninck.
Kasia Niewiadoma received the world title on the Gravel World Championships final fall after which carried her profitable spirit into La Flèche Wallonne, the place she triumphed atop the Mur de Huy.
It marked her first highway race victory since 2019 and appeared to bode nicely for the upcoming stage racing season. Whereas she went into La Vuelta Femenina as a significant contender, the workforce made the choice to tug her out of the race in order that she might get well from a lingering sickness from the Ardennes Classics.
Again in good well being, Niewiadoma will wish to proceed her high kind within the subsequent set of shorter phases races at Itzulia Ladies and Vuelta a Burgos. These races are additionally nice preparation for potential summer time targets on the Giro d’Italia Ladies and Tour de France Femmes.
Canyon-SRAM even have a contender in Ricarda Bauernfeind, who has proven promising outcomes on the UAE Tour Ladies (tenth), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (ninth) and La Vuelta Femenina (sixth). In reality, in Niewiadoma’s absence on the Vuelta, Bauernfeind stepped as much as the GC plate within the mountain phases, the place she was sixth at Alto del Fuerte Rapitán and La Laguna Negra and fifth at Valdesquí. Comunidad de Madrid.
A former stage winner on the Tour de France Femmes, Bauernfeind has proven that she will deal with the pressures of top-tier racing as a contender in each phases and basic classification. What’s extra, if Neve Bradbury is again on observe following the sickness that took her out of La Vuelta Femenina the workforce have one more rider that would problem proper on the high of the general outcomes desk.
Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) has at all times been a powerful climber and top-10 general contender, however she has improved her sport this spring with a stage win and fifth general at La Vuelta Femenina.
A former French nationwide champion in 2021, Muzic took her first massive victory in 2022 on the Giro d’Italia and has steadily improved with podium finishes in phases on the Tour de France, Tour de Suisse and second general at Vuelta a Burgos.
Her latest victory atop La Laguna Negra was all of the extra spectacular as she matched Demi Vollering on the ascent after which outsprinted the Dutch Champion throughout the end line, displaying each stamina on the climbs, strategic nous and velocity on the end.
FDJ-SUEZ additionally line up with Marta Cavalli, who had a late begin to the season as a result of a pelvis damage sustained whereas coaching, and he or she not too long ago spent a number of weeks coaching at altitude as an alternative of racing the Spring Classics.
Cavalli was compelled to desert the Vuelta following a crash on stage 2, but when she is recovered and 100% wholesome, she might play a job within the workforce’s general success at Itzulia Ladies.
Spanish champion Mavi García was recognised on the rostrum as the highest rider from her nation within the remaining classification at La Vuelta Femenina.
Though she could be pleased with that achievement, the Liv AlUla Jayco all-rounder as on the lookout for greater than twentieth general and can undoubtedly wish to enhance on that efficiency at each Itzulia Ladies and Vuelta a Burgos.
When she is in peak kind, Garcia is a significant contender for the general classification at any of the Grand Excursions. Nonetheless, Itzulia Ladies could be extra inherently her type of racing, given its shorter and steeper climbs, which lend nicely to the highly effective assaults and breakaways that she has grow to be so well-known for over the past 5 years.
Garcia is an opportunistic rider, so look ahead to her to provoke breakaways on the most difficult a part of every stage when the peloton is struggling at its worst. She additionally is not afraid to launch 50+ km assaults and is greater than able to being among the many choice within the finals.
Shirin van Anrooij loved a powerful Spring Classics marketing campaign that noticed her constantly play a job within the finals of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Strade Bianche, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tour of Flanders, and Brabantse Pijl.
A lot of these efforts had been well-coordinated workforce ways alongside Tour of Flanders winner Elisa Longo Borghini, who isn’t competing at Itzulia Ladies. The Italian Champion not too long ago completed third general at La Vuelta Femenina however is now taking a well-deserved relaxation, so Van Anrooij will take up the GC mantle on the three-day race.
The Dutch rider not too long ago completed third on the Navarra Ladies’s Elite Basic, a tricky one-day race in Spain. She fashioned a part of a choose chase group behind solo winner Hannah Ludwig (Cofidis).
Van Anrooij is clearly in good kind after recovering from the Spring Classics, and look ahead to the competition phases and the general classification at Itzulia.
