MADRID, 3 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The British cyclist Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) has won the sprint in the first stage of the 62nd edition of the Itzulia Basque Country, 165.4 kilometers between Vitoria and Labastida, and has become the first leader of the Basque round .
Hayter, 24, took advantage of the launch of his teammate, the Spanish Omar Fraile, in the last meters to cross the finish line first with a time of 4:01:24, beating the Swiss Mauro in the decisive final sprint Schmid (Soudal-Quick Step) and the Spanish Jon Aberasturi (Trek-Segafredo), with the also Basque Alex Aramburu (Movistar) fourth.
All in a day in which the peloton remained compact, neutralizing any possibility of escape like the one that up to nine riders tried in the first kilometers, and with all the teams reserving themselves for the foreseeable massive arrival.
Only on the ascent to the Opakua pass that consolidated a breakaway made up of the Spaniards Cristian Rodríguez (Arkéa-Samsic), Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Jon Barrenetxea (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), with the latter winning the intermediate sprint to also put on the mountain jersey.
The trio enjoyed up to almost four minutes of rent on a peloton that began to pick up the pace, with INEOS Grenadiers in front, to gobble it up with 30 kilometers to go. The current bearer of the ‘txapela’, the Colombian Dani Martínez (INEOS-Grenadiers), and the Tour de France champion, the Danish Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), fought for the second intermediate sprint, and the second was finally the who took the three bonus seconds.
They all marched together to the finish line, where Hayter managed to surprise the main contenders to put on the leader’s jersey. Now, with bonuses, he leads Schmid by four seconds and Aberasturi by six.
This Tuesday, the second stage of the Basque round will take place, 193.8 kilometers between the Navarrese towns of Viana and Leitza. In the longest day of the Itzulia, up to five mountain passes, numerous descents and a final circuit will receive the cyclists.
–CLASSIFICATIONS.
-Stage.
1. Ethan Hayter (GBR/INEOS Grenadiers) 4:01:24.
2. Mauro Schmid (SUI/Soudal-Quick Step) m.t.
3. JON ABERASTURI (ESP/Trek-Segafredo) mt
4. ALEX ARAMBURU (ESP/Movistar) mt
5. Orluis Aular (VEN/Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) mt
-General.
1. Ethan Hayter (GBR/INEOS Grenadiers) 4:01:14.
2. Mauro Schmid (SUI/Soudal-Quick Step) a 4.
3. JON ABERASTURI (ESP/Trek-Segafredo) 6.
4. Dani Martínez (COL/INEOS-Grenadiers) 7.
5. Jonas Vingegaard (DIN/Jumbo-Visma) 8.