Before the 2024 race, the third edition of Itzulia Women, one team and just two riders had won every stage since its inception. In its first year, Demi Vollering scored a clean sweep of stage wins and extended that tally 12 months later on the first two stages of the 2023 race, only seeing her reign ended by teammate Marlen Reusser, who went on a long-distance flyer to win the stage by an enormous margin as SD Worx-Protime’s rivals marked Vollering and themselves out of contention.
There was no reason to believe the trend wouldn’t continue this year with both previous winners on the start line, and Vollering herself fresh off a dominant Vuelta Femenina victory.
By the end of three punchy stages, Vollering had added yet another race leader’s jersey to her growing collection with stage 3 victory, while teammate Mischa Bredewold helped maintain the absolute dominance of SD Worx-Protime with back-to-back stage wins on the opening days.
- SD Worx-Protime dictated proceedings on the first stage, which took the peloton over a dynamic parcours from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Elgoibar. Reusser seemed back to her powerful best after injury in setting up the spring, where Vollering acted as lead-out for Bredewold, who was able to complete the job ahead of Movistar’s Arlenis Sierra, Vollering holding on for third to keep herself in GC contention.
- Stage 2 was a slightly more aggressive affair on another toasty warm day in the Basque Country. With Bredewold beginning to struggle on the Urruztigaina climb, Vollering was on the attack with an elite group of favourites including SD Work teammate Niamh Fisher-Black. Vollering accelerated again towards the summit and eased clear, her move drawing out a small group that headed into the flatter roads approaching the final unclassified bump before the finish.
- Despite the repeated attacks from Vollering et al. a large group regained contact on the friendlier terrain, and things quietened down until Juliette Labous (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) attacked with 12 km to go, drawing out Mavi García and race leader Bredewold. The trio just about stayed clear to the finish, where Bredewold took a second-consecutive stage win so emphatically that she found a second’s advantage in the sprint to the line.
- The race ended with a familiar stage reminiscent of the punchy San Sebastian one-day race, a day that has Vollering written all over it. A large 12-rider breakaway got a headstart on the hills, but the Dutch national champion flew up the punishing Cat.2 climb (3.4 km at 8.4%) about 30 km from the finish, and soloed to another dominant stage and overall victory.
- Having lost contact on the final climb, Bredewold was shepherded to the finish in what became a reduced peloton as groups merged on the run-in, and Reusser – who won this stage in 2023 – led out her young teammate. Thalita De Jong (Lotto Dstny) denied SD Worx a one-two on the stage, but Bredewold’s third-place was enough to cement first and second overall, with Labous rounding out the GC podium in third.
Stage-by-stage results:
Stage 1: Mischa Bredewold
Stage 2: Mischa Bredewold
Stage 3: Demi Vollering
Final GC Top 10
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Quote of the day
“I always really liked this race, so I’m really happy I can win again. It’s amazing, we win every stage three years in a row, that’s incredible. It says something about what a strong team we are and how much we like these kinds of races, to always be very active and take it into our own hands.”
Vollering said after her magnificent solo victory on stage 3
Brief analysis:
- The SD Worx-Protime dominance is remarkable and the team’s symbiotic relationship with Itzulia Women is a compelling story, but given Vollering’s imminent transfer out of the squad, the race might get a bigger and better fight in coming seasons.
- Vollering too continues to demonstrate building form and confidence this season, both as a leader and team player, this weekend helping Bredewold to double victory – while carrying a stomach bug! – before returning to her own Donostia playbook to soar to yet another win in the Basque Country. It’s no secret that she struggled with the early season, claiming a host of top-10 results that most would be delighted with but were not representative of the Vollering we’re familiar with, but since moving from Classics to stage racing, the Dutch superstar seems to be feeling much more herself.
- Another rider who was not thrilled with their spring was Mischa Bredewold, whose best result before Itzulia Women came at the 1.1 Omloop van het Hageland at the end of February. Though she hadn’t come from nowhere, Bredewold had something of a coming of age at the European Championship road race last September, where a late attack saw her stay clear of her trade teammates Lorena Wiebes and Lotte Kopecky on the infamous Col du VAM. Since then, things have been fairly quiet for the 23-year-old Dutchwoman – until now, and not a moment too soon with her current contract set to expire at the end of 2024 (as does Reusser’s). Whether she stays or not, Bredewold is fast earning herself leadership, or at least protected rider status at a team bursting at the seams.
- So far this season SD Worx-Protime has left winning to their “Big Three” – Lorena Wiebes and Lotte Kopecky in the Spring and Vollering at La Vuelta – they now add a fourth player into the mix with Bredewold’s double stage victory and runner-up overall result. With Reusser working her way back from injury, it is only a matter of time until she is also back to her winning ways.
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