The god of cycling Tadej Pogacar was not there and Remco Evenepoel was not expected at the start, capable of achieving two Olympic golds in one go, a rocket in the time trial and a festival on the road, so in San Sebastian there was a breath of relief, because the Belgian devil had already put on the beret on three occasions, in 2019 and in the last two editions. Now resting from his voracity, Remco gave up the first to his teammate Alaphilippe, who also took the laurel in 2018, a success for the Soudal Quick-Step because he had won the award in four of the last five Classic. The favourite for the competition, however, was Jonas Vingegaard, second in the recent Tour – although he already had two in his bag – who warned that he was fresh and eager to take on the 236-kilometre route with seven mountain passes, the legendary Alkiza and Jaizkibel, to get to know the feared Pilotegi, two kilometres that were a hellish wall with an average of 11.7%, a real challenge. leg breaker with sections of up to 27%. But glory was far away. “I was surprised that he wasn’t in the fight because he looked strong,” admitted Marc Hirschi (UAE) after crossing the finish line first, sprintHis victory came in a head-to-head with Alaphilippe, who almost did not live up to his number, second on a podium completed by the Belgian Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto).
After the start and a couple of attempts, the breakaway soon took shape, 10 riders in search of the Homeric prank, made possible because the asphalt, always surrounded by intense green, trees that touched the sky or meadows that delight livestock, and, of course, fans who explain that cycling is very much alive in Euskal Herria, twisted on the climbs and descents, a real punishment for the legs. The brave ones: Carr (EF), Barguil (DSM), Ghebreigzabhier (Trek), Moniquet (Lotto), De Pretto (Jayco), Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), Zwiehoff (Bora), Guernalec (Arkéa), Holter (Uno-X) and Latour (TotalEnergies). But even though after reaching the second mountain pass the advantage was four minutes, Visma soon got down to work, as it wanted to validate the victory of Vingegaard or Kuss, the other leader, the one who never puts on a bad face, the one who was always a luxury gregarious until winning the Vuelta the previous year. Thus, after the magnetic Jaizkibel, the advantage did not exceed 1m20s, then with Simon Carr alone.
“It’s sensational. You’re one minute ahead and there are still kilometres that you already know, come on, keep going!”, encouraged him through the earpiece Juanma Gárate, director of the EF, who knows these mountains just as well as Carr, winner of the Clásica de Ordizia in 2020 and second in the Vuelta al Bidasoa 2019, ready to fulfil his penultimate service with the team because next year he will wear the jersey of Cofidis. But it was an impossible bet, one against all, one against the powerful Visma; it was just a matter of time before their adventure was ruined. Above all, because the hardest part was still to come: Erlaitz, a 1st category mountain pass, with an average of 10.6%, the prelude to Pilotegi.
It was at Erlaitz that Carr’s dream ended and Sivakov’s began. As soon as the peloton had absorbed the rebel, he came out in the slipstream of Alaphilippe’s first attack and left everyone in the lurch, a lightning-fast start, standing on his bike and as far as his legs would take him. It was a lot, but not enough. The attack, in any case, also broke up the peloton, as up to twenty pursuers – among whom Landa, McNulty, and Alaphilippe stood out – were able to break away from the multicoloured snake, with no news of Visma, who gained as much importance on the flat as he lost it in the mountains. And that was the end of Kuss and Vingegaard.
There was Pilotegi, a summit packed to the rafters, passionate fans and devotees of cycling, cries of encouragement that comfort the soul, goosebumps, a good show, cycling to remember. There, suddenly, the road narrowed and Sivakov charged again as if there was no tomorrow, already lacking strength because the pursuers caught up with him and left him on the side of the road, sometimes attacks by Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi (UAE); sometimes a reply from McNulty and Konrad, seven riders in search of glory. The worst was yet to come. Tongues hanging out, cold sweats, shaking legs, impossible slope, lungs for what I want, absolute hardship. Some meandered as best they could to avoid putting their foot on the ground, others gave kidney kicks to fight the lack of lactic acid and, in the end, everyone recovered because the human corridor was good breath. And that was what Alaphilippe did, his third and final attack, a sweet attempt because only Hirschi could follow him to the top of the summit. The descent remained, 7 kilometers and two contenders.
And although it seemed that they were brothers on the run, relays from the start because it was a matter of playing it hard, Hirschi tried to commit fratricide with fiery pedal strokes on the descent, a descent that was breathtaking. He was left wanting. Alaphilippe, since the idea that experience is a degree, double winner of the jerseyrainbow, shook his hand and they agreed that everything would be decided in the sprintfinal, as the Frenchman found out when he asked the cameraman how much time they had on the pursuers. “Following Alaphilippe was very hard, but we were left alone, we looked back and understood that we had to keep pushing,” explained the Swiss.
It was in Donosti that the final burst of momentum came, the start that would decide the San Sebastian Classic. Alaphilippe was temporizing ahead, looking at Hirschi, who was dragging his feet, waiting for his turn. And when the Swiss attacked, Alaphilippe collapsed. “I gave it my all, but Marc was very strong in the final metres, he is more explosive than me,” the Frenchman admitted; “but I am happy to be on the podium in this great race, although also disappointed not to win, to be so close.” beret It was for Hirschi. “It is a great victory that means a lot. This classic, with the Fleche Wallonne and a stage in the Tour (in 2020), are my two great triumphs.” In this case, with Pelotegi in the middle.
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