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Although the current champion Primož Roglič (1200) will not be there to defend the title, the startlist of the Itzulia Basque Country 2019 does not lack stars. Many of the cyclists who raced the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya will measure their legs again, now in the Basque mountains. The calendar will give people like Adam Yates (1000) or Nairo Quintana (1200) the opportunity to rise again, after being defeated by Miguel Ángel López (1000) in Catalunya, where the Colombian rider took the GC thanks to a spectacular attack in the queen stage, with the final in the ski resort of Vallter 2000. Even though López is not going to be in Euskadi, Astana strikes back with a real All-Stars team, with Ion Izaguirre (1200), third last year, his brother Gorka Izaguirre (1000), Pello Bilbao (1000), Omar Fraile (800), Luis León Sánchez (800), Alexei Lutsenko (600) and Jakob Fugslang (800).

An ITT to begin with

As we are used to, the Itzulia is eminently a climber’s race, although this edition brings us some surprises, like the first day individual time trial, which will undoubtedly be decisive for a handful of Cycling Fantasy points. The main favorite is, of course, the reigning world champion and great dominator of the specialty in 2018, Rohan Dennis (1200). After him, the Sky cyclists Geraint Thomas (1200), Jonathan Castroviejo (800), Michal Kwiatkowski (1200) and David de la Cruz (600) also tend to have good performances in ITT, as they do Marc Soler (800), Patrick Bevin (800), or Tony Martin (400). The chrono includes the climb to the hermitage of the Antiko, a small port of 2.3 km to 9.7%. However, it contains ramps of up to 21% that be hard for some, as it can help climbers pass the stage without major dammage. In addition, the port is scoring for the King of the Mountain classification.

Stage hunters, let’s play

Stages 2, 3, and 4 have hilly profiles with some final uphill trap, ideal for puncheurs and stage chasers, with the fight for the mountain jersey in between. Julian Alaphilippe (1200), who is perhaps at the sweetest moment of his career, is the top favorite in this type of stage. Other men who can be active these three days can be Luis Ángel Maté (600), Maximilian Schachmann (800), Simon Clarke (600), Jesus Herrada (400), Alessandro de Marchi (600), Bjorg Lambrecht (600), Ben King (800), Michal Kwiatkowski (1200), orLuis León Sánchez (800), to name a few.

The decisive mountain

The last two stages are designed to decide the race, and is where candidates for the GC have to appear if they have something to say. Movistar have a very strong mountain team, with Mikel Landa (1000) (second last year), Nairo Quintana (1200), and Marc Soler (800), backed by Andrey Amador (400), Rubén Fernandez (400), Carlos Verona (400) and José Rojas (400). Other men who are usually among the best in these stages are Daniel Martin (1000), Adam Yates (1000), Ion Izaguirre (1200), Geraint Thomas (1200), Sergio Luis Henao (600), Michael Woods (800), Rudy Molard (800), Sam Oomen (800), George Bennet (1000), Bauke Mollema (1000) or David Gaudu (400). Eyes to be putted in the Colombians of the invited Manzana Postobon Team.

In short, for a strong Cycling Fantasy team we need a time trialist, a puncheur, a good climber and a lot of intuition and analysis for the 200 credit racers.