The Tour of the Basque Country wouldn’t be the Tour of the Basque Country if the opening day prologue didn’t contain any catches. The 7.5 kilometer round trip contains some tricky molehills. Primoz Roglic is the last starter at 5.20 pm.
- 4 pm 06. By 5.30 pm we will know who the best rally driver is. It goes very fast and not everyone stays on their bike. Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto-Soudal) crosses the finish line battered. His right foot is no longer in his pedal. †
By 5.30 pm we will know who is the best rally driver. It goes very fast and not everyone stays on their bike. Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto-Soudal) crosses the finish line battered. His right foot is no longer in his pedal.
- 16 hours . This went better than expected. I enjoyed it. † Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers).
This went better than expected. I enjoyed it.
Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers)
- 16 hours . Mauri Vansevenant also did not do badly and just entered the top 10. The pecking order: 1. Geraint Thomas 2. Adam Yates 3. Ion Izagirre 4. Ben Tulett 5. Nelson Oliveira 6. Dries Devenyns 7. Rudy Molard 8. Fabien Doubey 9. Mauri Vansevenant 10. Aurélien Paret-Peintre.
Mauri Vansevenant also did not do badly and just entered the top 10.
The pecking order:
1. Geraint Thomas
2. Adam Yates
3. Ion Izagirre
4. Ben Tulett
5. Nelson Oliveira
6. Dries Devenyns
7. Rudy Molard
8. Fabien Doubey
9. Mauri Vansevenant
10. Aurélien Paret-Painter - 15 hours 56. We have already seen 4 riders in the hot seat and they are all from the same camp: Omar Fraile, Ben Tulett, Adam Yates and now Geraint Thomas. However, the differences are limited. †
We have already seen 4 riders on the hot seat and they are all from the same camp: Omar Fraile, Ben Tulett, Adam Yates and now Geraint Thomas. However, the differences are limited.
- Geraint Thomas on 1. Is this finally the old Geraint Thomas again? The Welshman takes a lot of risks and is rewarded. The kamikaze is 16 hundredths (!) faster than team mate Adam Yates. Ion Izagirre does not make it and ends up above the duo. Although this is not a bad start to his week. † 15 hours 56.
Geraint Thomas on 1
Is this finally old Geraint Thomas again? The Welshman takes a lot of risks and is rewarded. The kamikaze is 16 hundredths (!) faster than team mate Adam Yates.
Ion Izagirre does not make it and ends up above the duo. Although this is not a bad start to his week.
- 15h51. The Ineos festival continues: Geraint Thomas is on the climb in the same second as Adam Yates. †
The Ineos festival continues: Geraint Thomas is on the climb in the same second as Adam Yates.
- 15 hours 51. Primoz Roglic is the top favorite anyway. He rarely cracks, even if he suffered as in Paris-Nice. And he has a very strong team here. † Ion Izagirre (Cofidis).
Primoz Roglic is the top favorite anyway. He rarely cracks, even if he suffered as in Paris-Nice. And he has a very strong team here.
Ion Izagirre (Cofidis)
- 15h47. The Basque fans shout hoarsely for home rider Ion Izagirre, the Spanish champion in this field. He was the overall winner in 2019 and is a guarantee of top 10 places. †
The Basque fans are shouting hoarsely for home rider Ion Izagirre, the Spanish champion in this field. He was the overall winner in 2019 and is a guarantee of top 10 places.
- 15 hours 45.
- 3 p.m. 42. The venom is in the tail. In the final kilometer you have a narrow cobblestone road. Here you can still make up for or lose a lot of time. †
The venom is in the tail. In the final kilometer you have a narrow cobblestone road. Here you can still make up for or lose a lot of time.
- 15 hours 39. For the next 10 minutes interesting people appear on the starting podium: “crosser” Quinten Hermans, ex-winner Ion Izagirre, Geraint Thomas and Mauri Vansevenant. †
For the next 10 minutes, interesting people will appear on the starting podium: “crosser” Quinten Hermans, ex-winner Ion Izagirre, Geraint Thomas and Mauri Vansevenant.
- Adam Yates on 1. From Omar Fraile we go over Ben Tulett to Adam Yates on 1. Time to beat: 10’06”. Dries Devenyns is 4th at 8 seconds. . 15 hours 35.
Adam Yates at 1
From Omar Fraile we go over Ben Tulett to Adam Yates on 1. Time to beat: 10’06”.
Dries Devenyns is 4th at 8 seconds.
- Adam Yates does three seconds better than Tulett. 15 hours 35.
Adam Yates does three seconds better than Tulett
- 15 hours 32. Adam Yates’ best neighbor halfway is for now Dries Devenyns, who also got off to a brisk start. He follows at 6 seconds. †
The best neighbor of Adam Yates halfway is for now Dries Devenyns, who also started energetically. He follows at 6 seconds.
- 3:30 p.m. Adam Yates is on his way at lightning speed. At the nod, he stands head and shoulders above the rest. Will he stretch that effort to the finish? †
Adam Yates is on his way fast. At the nod, he stands head and shoulders above the rest. Will he stretch that effort to the finish?
- 15h28. It is a very technical and complex time trial. You have little time to think. † Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech).
It is a very technical and complex time trial. You have little time to think.
Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech)
- 3 pm 27. Lotto-Soudal’s support car follows in the footsteps of Viktor Verschaeve. The Belgian team has delegated a very young team including Sylvain Moniquet and Maxim Van Gils. †
Lotto-Soudal’s trailer follows in the footsteps of Viktor Verschaeve. The Belgian team has delegated a very young team including Sylvain Moniquet and Maxim Van Gils.
- Fortunately it is dry, but look at the billowing advertising banners: there is quite a lot of wind! 15 hours 22.
Fortunately it is dry, but look at the billowing advertising banners: there is quite a lot of wind!
- 15h 19. The climb to San Telmo is also the intermediate point of the day. After a little more than 3 kilometers we get an indication of what the legs are saying. †
The climb to San Telmo is also the intermediate point of the day. After a little more than 3 kilometers we get an indication of what the legs are saying.
- 3 pm 16. The provisional top 5. 1. Ben Tulett 2. Nelson Oliveira at 4″ 3. Omar Fraile at 10″ 4. Jan Polanc at 12″ 5. Stefan De Bod at 13″ .
The provisional top 5
1. Ben Tulett
2. Nelson Oliveira op 4″
3. Omar Fraile on 10″
4. Jan Polanc op 12 “
Stefan De Bod op 13 “
