The week of cycling in Euskadi
A Itzulia really excellent, it made clear the bar in which UAE Team Emirates moves, beating in a cycling in which they compete as if there were no tomorrow.
Tadej Pogačar finished this crazy race third in a final rollover, on the way to Arrate, that few expected in this way, as it occurred in the typical moment of slippage, on crowning a high as Gorla, towards Eibar, when the Astana caused a lethal cut in which the great rival leaked, Primož Rogličin green this day, so that he could not be seen until the finish line.
"We expected the stage to be a little different than how it unfolded. -said the reigning Tour winner at the finish line. but when Astana attacked, a quick gap opened up and we had to work hard with Marc Hirschi to make sure the race didn't get away from us."
The decision to pull out at that moment gave rise to a beautifully crafted day, comparable to the one that decided the Tirreno in favor of Pogačar.
The result this time was not the victory, but it was the mirror of the cycling that embodies this cyclist, surrounded by UAE Team Emirates, a cycling that does not understand speculation.
The concept of spectacle that was chiseled out over the six days of the Itzulia The concept of spectacle that was chiseled in the six days of the race proved once again that victory at this level is very high priced. In fact, the shock of the final day should not hide the excellent performance that the team got from the American, Brandon McNulty.
The value of Brandon McNulty
Two days before the explosion between Ondarroa and Eibar, Brandon McNulty was a perfect stiletto for UAE Team Emirates to put the Jumbo Visma in the lead. Rogličand Vingegaard in trouble.
With an overall conditioned by the first day's time trial, McNulty filtered into the good breakaway on the road to Hondarribia. to wear the jersey yellow designed by Gobikthe first time supplier of the jerseys of race leaders.
The Itzulia had started well for the American, who was the best after Rogličin the initial time trial in Bilbao and a very dangerous asset throughout the race. In fact Tadej Pogačar ran very close to his teammate, demonstrating that he could UAE Team Emirates can play more than one trick.. That didn't deprive the Slovenian of winning the first high finish of the race, in Ermualde, a very tough final ramp in which Pogačar set the bar so high that only his compatriot followed him.
Thus, after Bilbao, after Ermualde, after Hondarribia..., Brandon McNulty faced the final day in yellow, but the very hard first pass near Arrate was too much for the North American, who, unhooked, passed the baton to Tadej Pogačar in the lead of UAE Team Emirates. Pogačar was very close to the group of Rogličbut he did not hunt before the summit and that was the key.. A scenario that did not remove him from the determination to hunt further ahead: "When we saw that Brandon was completely unhooked, I went to chase and fight for the podium, the work was very intense for almost 40 kilometers," he said. Pogačar.
And it was, not in vain, the Slovenian defined the day "as one of the most demanding stages I've done in my entire sporting career".
PhotosPhotogomezsport
