Team Visma | Lease a Bike in good spirits after the opening time trial of Itzulia Basque Country
# Team Visma Takes to the Stage at Itzulia Basque Country with Mixed Results
The highly anticipated 68th edition of the Itzulia Basque Country kicked off with an individual time trial that had riders navigating a challenging 13.9-kilometre course. The trial began with an immediate uphill climb on Santo Domingo (2.4 km at a steep 7%) and concluded with a fast descent followed by a grueling final ascent in the last 500 metres.
Ben Tulett of Team Visma set off early, finishing in a respectable fourteenth place with a time of 18:01, yet still over fifty seconds behind the stage winner, Paul Seixas from Decathlon CMA CGM Team. Reflecting on his performance, Tulett stated, “I’m glad the first test has finished. It was a very tough time trial. It went uphill straight from the start, and that’s certainly not easy on a time trial bike. All in all, I can be satisfied with this result.”
For Tulett, who recently made his return to competitive cycling following a crash at the Faun Drome Classic, this week represents a crucial moment in his racing journey. “After my crash in the Faun Drome Classic, I wasn’t able to race for a few weeks, so I was really looking forward to getting back out there with my teammates,” he expressed. “I’m curious to see how the next few days will go. The organisers have once again put together a challenging route for us, so there’ll be climbing every day.”
Here’s a look at the standings from Stage 1 of Itzulia Basque Country:
– **1st:** Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) – 00:17:09
– **2nd:** Kévin Vauquelin (INEOS Grenadiers) – +00:00:23
– **3rd:** Felix Großschartner (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) – +00:00:27
– **12th:** Bruno Armirail (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:50
– **14th:** Ben Tulett (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:52
– **53rd:** Filippo Fiorelli (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:01:27
– **63rd:** Tijmen Graat (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:01:36
– **81st:** Tim Rex (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:01:52
– **87th:** Steven Kruijswijk (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:01:56
– **116th:** Menno Huising (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:02:24
As they prepare for the next stages, Tulett and his teammates will face a series of tough climbs daily, with hopes of showcasing their potential as the race unfolds.
