Itzulia Basque Country: Remco Evenepoel Climbs Onto the Podium
Louis Vervaeke takes his first podium of the year after a hectic finish.
An undulating 160km stage from Irun to Kanbo, featuring a challenging 350m uphill drag, set the stage for an intense battle for victory in the Itzulia Basque Country. The peloton faced a rainy and nerve-wracking afternoon, with multiple crashes in the final 15 kilometers. Fortunately, the Soudal Quick-Step team managed to keep Remco Evenepoel out of trouble, allowing him to secure crucial seconds at the intermediate sprint. This advancement helped Evenepoel climb one spot in the general classification, now just ten seconds behind the yellow jersey.
In a thrilling reduced sprint, Louis Vervaeke showcased impressive speed, claiming third place behind winner Paul Lapeira (Decathlon-AG2R). Evenepoel followed closely, finishing mere places behind Vervaeke.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
