WorldTour one-day races returned on Saturday with the San Sebastian Klasikoa in the Basque Country of Spain. Michael Woods, fresh from the Paris Olympic Games, came eighth, improving one place on his ninth in the 2019 edition. Marc Hirschi chalked up another WorldTour victory for UAE-Emirates by beating Julian Alaphilippe in a sprint.
The Course
With a route so long and arduous, one might think of the San Sebastian Klasikoa as a post-Tour Classic. Seven classified climbs over 236 km culminated with a formidable trio of ascents in the final 66 km: Jaizkibel (7.9 km of 5.6 percent), Erlaitz (3.8 km of 10.7 percent and the knee-breaking Pilotegi (2.1 km of 10.8 percent with a maximum of 24 percent. Pilotegi crested with 8 km to race.
Although three-time winner Remco Evenepoel wasn’t on the start line, Jonas Vingegaard and Woods were, along with 2018 victor Alaphilippe, Sepp Kuss, Mikel Landa and Giro d’Italia runner up Daniel Martinez.
After several attacks that failed to translate into a lasting breakaway, a 10-man group got loose after the first climb of the day. By Jaizkibel’s peak, Simon Carr of EF Education-Easypost was solo out of the group, and three breakmates were in the gap back to the peloton, 1:30 in arrears.
With 50 km and two climbs remaining, Visma-Lease a Bike’s work in the field swept up the riders behind Carr and drew him closer. The pink-clad Brit hit the foot of Erlaitz with a minute’s advantage. Alaphilippe, Pavel Sivakov of UAE-Emirates and Florian Lipowitz were the first to try their legs on the Erlaitz, overtaking Carr. Vingegaard couldn’t stay with the peloton. Sivakov crested alone just ahead of a group of 19 containing Woods, Alaphilippe, Hirschi, Brandon McNulty and Isaac del Toro.
🏁 40 km to go
At the top of the steep Erlaitz climb, the main group is down to just a handful of riders and we’ve got Michael Woods in his Canadian champ jersey right there! 🇨🇦
Let’s go Woodsy!#Klasikoa2024 🇪🇸 #YallaIPT pic.twitter.com/6VYUKZeyeU
— Israel – Premier Tech (@IsraelPremTech) August 10, 2024
Lotto-Dstny chased Sivakov towards the final climb, and the four UAE-Emirates guys in the Woods group could sit on.
Pilotegi
This Basque wall had a maximum of 25 percent and a 525-metre section that averaged 20 percent, packed with fervent fans. Sivakov brought a 15-second gap onto its mild lower slopes. He soon surrendered and Alaphilippe made a dig, Hirschi going with him. McNulty and a couple of riders…
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