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Primoz Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike), Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) and the other top contenders for Itzulia Basque Country will face a typically climb-crammed route in this year’s race.
Running from April 1-6, the 832.1km course, revealed on Friday in the stage 1 start town of Irun, is set to be the first 2024 encounter between at least three of the principal four favourites for the upcoming Tour de France. Only Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) will be missing.
On the menu for Vingegaard – who won Itzulia Basque Country last year in convincing style – and his rivals are a short opening time trial, back in the race after a two-year absence, and five stages featuring the usual relentless rollercoaster of punchy, technical climbs and twisting, often treacherous, descents.
Vingegaard will doubtless be pleased to see organisers have opted to repeat stage 6 of the 2023 race, which he won comfortably, in its entirety. A year ago, the Dane broke away on the second last climb of seven in what was by far the toughest stage to finish alone and lay down a major marker for the Tour de France, and he will doubtless be hoping to put on a similar display this year.
With no less than 22 classified climbs on the route as well as time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds on offer at each finish, there will be plenty of opportunities for an aggressive, wide-open race in the 2024 Itzulia Basque Country.
The first day, though, starts the race in a relatively sedate style with a solo time trial, just 10 kilometres long and with one short mid-course climb. The distance should establish an initial hierarchy among the GC favourites, but without establishing any major gaps. It is also worth remembering, though, that each time Primož Roglič won Itzulia…
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