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Mischa Bredewold of SD Worx-Protime claims victory in the opening stage of Itzulia Women, sprinting past a select group of five in a thrilling finish. This win sets the stage for an exciting three-day race, with Bredewold taking the first leader’s jersey.
The stage unfolded around Zarautz, where Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) set a fierce pace on the penultimate climb, Etumeta. Only Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Premier Tech), Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek), and Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-Suez) managed to stay with her. Niedermaier attempted a solo break but was eventually caught by the chase group, which struggled with cooperation in the final stretches, finishing 17 seconds behind.
Markus led the charge in the sprint, but Bredewold edged her out in the last 100 meters. Bredewold’s experience shines through as she acknowledges the strategic challenges of the race. With time bonuses from her fifth Itzulia stage win, she now leads the general classification by seven seconds over Kastelijn and eight over Markus.
Bredewold remains focused, stating, “We’ll fight for it, but we’ll see day by day,” as she eyes the overall title in the coming stages.
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