Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) once again sprinted to victory at the Itzulia Women Tour, taking stage 2 ahead of breakaway companions Mavi García (Liv AlUla Jayco) and Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL).
Bredewold now leads the GC, 14 seconds ahead of Labous and 15 seconds ahead of García. Bredewold’s teammate, Demi Vollering, sits in fifth place on the GC at 19 seconds.
“This is really unexpected and crazy. I really did not expect this today,” said Bredewold afterwards. “The team was so good and super attentive, and we all make each other calm because we’re always there. [On the climb] I could not hold on with the best riders, but that’s actually what I expected before. It was still so long to the finish, so everything came back.”
“The gap was really small in the end, we have to discuss it,” said Bredewold about team tactics for tomorrow’s stage 3. “Again, I want to race openly, and if the other girls see a chance, it’s nice for them to do something.”
How it happened
The race started with very little action until around 17km, when Valentina Cavallar (Arkéa – B&B Hotels) forced a small gap and was the first to crest the third category climb, Sarasola Gaina (2.9km, 3.5%), and pick up the mountain classification points.
After Cavallar was absorbed, the peloton continued along at an easy pace for the next 20km or so until the third category climb, Aretxabalgane Gaina (4.1km at 5.7%), where, once again, Valentina Cavallar (Arkéa – B&B Hotels) attacked and picked up mountain classification points.
With less than 50km remaining, it appeared that the race would be played out on the last climb, the category 2, Urruztigaina (1.6km at 12.6%). As the climb approached with 38km to go, SD Worx-Protime upped the pace at the front and Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx-Protime) launched an attack that stretched out the peloton, but also dropped her teammate and race leader, Mischa Bredewold. After a few hundred meters, Fisher-Black pulled off and teammate Demi Vollering took over for the next 250 meters and crested the climb first, followed by Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM).
On the descent, it was Vollering and Chabbey, followed by Vollering’s teammate, Marlen Reusser further back in third position. As the descent leveled off, Reusser bridged the gap to the two leaders and they became a trio with a gap of around 15 seconds. Over the next few kilometers, Chabbey wisely declined to work with the Vollering and Reusser, despite their arm waving and verbal coaxing, and as a result, a group of five riders from behind were able to catch the trio.
This powerful lead group of 8 riders consisted of: Marlen Reusser, Demi Vollering (both SD Worx-Protime), Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM), Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon//SRAM), Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Evita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ), Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck), and Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco).
The group of eight quickly grew their gap to almost one minute with 27km to go, but an Intermediate sprint at kilometer 81.7, which was won by Chabbey, and lack of cooperation, slowed the group down and with 20 km to go their gap was only 30 seconds.
Two kilometers later, the lead group’s gap was again cut in half to 15 seconds and shortly thereafter they were absorbed by the peloton.
With less than 15km to go, riders in the reduced peloton began to attack, but the flat nature of the course made it difficult, until 12km to go, when Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich PostNL) attacked up a grade and got a gap. Sensing the danger, Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco) and Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) bridged up to make it a trio with a 14” advantage on the peloton.
Back in the peloton, Lidl-Trek and Movistar attempted to chase, but there was little cooperation from any other team and the trio were able to increase their lead to 22 seconds with 8km to go.
In the final kilometers, efforts by individual riders and team Movistar reduced the trio’s gap to less than 14 seconds. By the final kilometer, the peloton had cut the gap down to less than 10 seconds. As the road ramped up to the finish in the last 700 meters, Labous made the decision to sacrifice herself and led out the trio into the finish. At the 300 meter mark, Labous began the sprint with García on her wheel, followed by Bredewold. With 150 meters to go, García jumped first, but was unable to challenge Bredewold who easily came around her and won by 5 bike lengths. A few seconds later, Olivia Baril (Movistar) led in the fast charging peloton to take fourth place.
Tomorrow’s stage 3 (114.9km) is considered the “most decisive stage of the race” with three categorized climbs.
Results
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/itzulia-women/2024/stage-2
