- Demi Vollering wins at the Markina-Xemein finish line and becomes the first leader of the Itzulia Women 2023
- Vollering has a 51-second lead over the rest of the favourites.
The Itzulia Women 2023, the second edition of this World Tour stage race, started today. The first stage began with a 122.2km route between Eika-Etxeberria and Markina-Xemein. The day gave no respite to the cyclists, and it rained throughout the entire stage.
After the start, there were many attempts at a breakaway, but the peloton did not want to let the group of 10 riders a few metres ahead escape. It continued to rain and the cyclists, with a good race pace, ate up the miles.
It wasn’t until 40 kilometres before the finish that a breakaway consisting of two riders formed: Anna Kiesenhofer (CGS, 12), and Aurela Nerlo (MAT, 155). Other cyclists tried but failed to link up. They achieved a maximum lead of 40 seconds over the peloton.
Team SD Worx drove the peloton to close the gap before the last climb of the day. With 15 kilometres to go, the two riders were caught by the peloton. And so began the fight to commence the climb in a leading position.
Demi Vollering (SDW, 1) didn’t want to wait and set a very hard pace from the start of the climb, selecting the group of favourites. Nobody was able to follow her, with Anemiek Van Vleuten (MOV, 51), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (CSR, 23) and Marlen Reusser (SDW, 3) about 10 seconds behind.
She crossed the pass with a 40-second difference, and nobody could stop before the finish line, which she crossed alone with time differences over the other favourites. Her team-mate came in second, 51 seconds behind, and Katarzyna Niewiadoma came in third. Anemiek Van Vleuten lost 1 minute at the finish line.
Standings after Stage 1
Stage winner: Demi VOLLERING (SDW, 1)
Overall individual ranking: Demi VOLLERING (SDW, 1)
Mountain classification: Demi Vollering (SDW, 1)
Overall points classification: Demi VOLLERING (SDW, 1)
Overall ranking best young rider: Ella Wyllie (DRP, 116)
Overall team classification: Team SD Worx
Overall ranking best Basque rider: Usoa Ostolaza (LKF, 143)
Most combative: Miriam Nuñez (MST, 154)
