Today's stage, which finishes in Basauri, is presented as one of the last chances for many cyclists in the Itzulia. Expert Rubén Berasategi emphasizes that this stage precedes terrain that will become significantly more complicated starting tomorrow in Galdakao, with Friday and Saturday's stages anticipated to be extremely difficult.
However, Berasategi warns that victory will not be easy for pure sprinters. The key will lie in the Bikotx Gane climb, a four-kilometer pass with an average gradient close to 9% that is crested near the finish line. This will require contenders to be "fast riders, but also capable of handling small climbs".
“"He is currently the most fashionable rider, he is the rider of the future."
On the other hand, Berasategi highlights the dominance of French rider Paul Seixas. Despite being only 19 years old, Seixas has proven to be "the strongest of all," with a decisive attack on the tough slopes of Aralar that no one could counter. The expert believes that, barring an unfortunate event like a fall or illness, Seixas will claim overall victory in this Itzulia.
Berasategi's analysis places Seixas at a very high level, suggesting he "would have been very close to Vingegaard, if not with him." His excellent form contrasts with that of Juan Ayuso, who is still recovering from two recent crashes and is "far from his best level." Given Seixas's superiority, Berasategi considers it probable "that he could even win more stages," anticipating a "pretty big battle" for partial victories in the coming days.
