Yesterday’s Action:
Another day, another steep climb and then fast finale, another small group fighting out the victory and another win for Julian Alaphilippe from Primoz Roglic. There was an exact repeat of the same sprint as yesterday, with the Quick-Step man rounding Roglic after the final turn, except this time the two finished ahead of Gorka Izaguirre with Mikel Landa in fourth for Movistar.
That gives a hold of the overall standings to Alaphilippe, who has eight seconds in hand over Roglic, with Gorka Izaguirre (Bahrain-Merida) third and 39 seconds off the lead. Mikel Landa is 43 seconds behind but already the field is stretched, and many riders are going to have a tough time getting to the top two although the podium is up for grabs.
Behind there was a group that included Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) and then Eduard Prades Reverter (Euskadi Basque Country-Murias) with Pello Bilbao (Astana), Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ), Alaphilippe’s team-mate Enric Mas and then Ion Izagirre of Bahrain Merdica, giving them nice positions in the overall whilst the rest will now struggle to challenge the top 10.
Top 10
1 Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) 8:29:13
2 Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo) 0:00:08
3 Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) 0:00:39
4 Mikel Landa (Movistar Team) 0:00:43
5 Pello Bilbao (Astana Pro Team) 0:00:54
6 Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) 0:00:58
7 Enric Mas (Quick-Step Floors)
8 Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe)
9 Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ)
10 Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale)
Today’s Stage
Stage 3: Wednesday, April 4
Bermeo/Valdegovía (184.8 km)The Route:
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This is typical Basque Country action. 3000 meters of climbing but only three categorised climbs because the last kilometres are on a circuit that could well count as a mountain day on any other, ‘normal’ race.
The Errigoti (5km at 4.8%) and the Aretxabalgane (4km at 2.8%) come early in the first 35 kilometres and after a long descent and 190 kilometres of flat the road begins to rise steadily towards the day’s big climb – La Barriella (7.6km at 5%), which brings the field to the circuit.
The Circuit
Is made to look benign on the official profile but, of course, is anything but. There’s 1300 meters of elevation through the race’s finale. There are one and a half laps of the main circuit, and arguably the stiffest climb features twice. It’s 2.9 kilometres at 6.6%, and following a descent there’s a climb of three parts that can be split into three sections; 2.5 kilometres at 4.2%, 2.3 kilometres at 5.1%, and 2.2 kilometres at 3.2%.
This Strava profile, built by cyclist Jamie Haughey, will explain more.
Following the first loop on the circuit, the aforementioned 2.9-kilometre climb at 6.6% is taken again along with the same goes for the 2.5-kilometre climb at 4.2%. Then there’s a left turn that exits the 10.7 kilometres to go. There are plenty of kickers in this last section, with the first kilometres on a descent and the last 3 kilometres taking in some uphill kicks, and there’s a false flat to the line.
The Contenders
This will be very hard to control so the breakaway will have a big chance ahead of sprinters like Michael Matthews and Jay McCarthy. Sunweb and Bora would have a big chance with that pairing but plenty of teams will be eyeing up a chance to get their riders into the break and much will depend on how much work Quick-Step and Lotto-Jumbo do with Alaphlippe and Roglic having taken the 1-2 on both days so far.
If a break goes Thomas De Gendt, who made the escape on the opening stage, would make a lot of appeal over perfect terrain and the Belgian is in good form as that first foray showed. Astana didn’t get into the break today but it was not for a lack of trying and Omar Fraile should now be their chosen man here. The tougher the race the better his chances.
Mitchelton-Scott have already said via their website that they are not keen on trying to pull this back all day and they might try and get Carlos Verona, an early attacker on stage 1, or Robert Power in the break. Power was sixth at Strade and 17thin the GP Miguel Indurain and would look to be their best bet.
