Euskal Bizikleta drops back down to the C2 level this year, organizers have denied that the demotion was because an influential team manager thinks the race is cursed for his team. Instead, they have noted the race spent much of its history at the lower level and this is just a return to its roots.
The race first had a 3-year run from 2009 to 2011 but then dropped off the calendar until 2016, it has been on the schedule every year since. The last run at the C2 level was in 2021 when Marko Kump won. Kump is the kind of rider who has dominated the race of late with similar riders winning the last 3 editions - Hugo Houle (2022), Christopher Lagane (2023) and Xandro Meurisse (2024).
The race features two sprint stages followed by two punchy stages. Starting with the favorites for the last two stages, who usually take the GC, we have:
Rider
MM
HI
SP
AC
RS
ST
Sagan
75
79
69
70
68
72
Turgis
73
79
70
77
78
76
Eriksson
73
79
65
76
74
78
Stocek
73
78
70
75
70
75
Lagane
74
78
76
77
71
70
Paez
75
77
73
76
70
74
Gladysh
74
77
71
76
72
73
Dieteren
74
77
63
66
70
75
Serrano
75
77
68
77
75
73
Lafay
76
77
65
74
72
72
Kanepejs
72
77
62
71
71
72
Vincent
74
77
67
71
72
79
Mayer
73
77
72
77
72
65
Montenegro
74
77
64
74
73
71
Senyenov
70
77
68
73
73
68
Dyrnes
74
77
64
76
72
72
Lagane leaps out as a top contender with his finishing ability. If he can win he will be the first two time winner of the race. Turgis, Stocek, and Paez are also quick at the finish although not as strong as Lagane. Turgis is also probably the best all-round puncheur at the race wit strong secondaries.
A number of teams have a good one-two punch, Euskadi with Turgis and Serrano, Tafjord with Eriksson and Dyrnes, Ethiopian with Sagan and Gladysh, and Euskotren with Stocek and Lafay. Podium Ambition also bring a second strong option in Mayer. It wouldn’t be surprising to see these teams put two in the top 10 on GC.
There are also some other climbers who don’t quite fit the puncheur profile of those above.
Rider
MM
HI
SP
AC
RS
ST
Vendrame
69
76
71
75
73
75
Berthet
77
76
62
75
75
70
Masnada
77
76
63
73
75
76
Gall
77
76
61
72
71
70
Korosec
72
75
75
78
71
74
Luchshenko
70
75
75
75
72
77
Fabbro
77
75
61
73
72
71
Grosser
69
74
75
75
72
74
Olei
70
74
75
75
71
73
Berthet, Fabbro Masnada, and Gall will look to thrive if the race is harder while the other riders on this list will be hoping the last two stages aren’t selective.
The race also has two stages for the sprinters and the tougher guys among this group might hope to hang on in the hilly stages as well.
Although 2 of the 4 stages are for the sprinters the race has attracted a fairly thin field.
Rider
FL
HI
SP
AC
RS
ST
Carsi
69
54
79
80
67
64
Bol
76
70
79
77
77
75
Van der Lijke
70
73
79
74
66
68
Tivani
70
67
77
78
78
68
Kiskonen
74
68
77
77
77
77
Russo
73
73
76
78
73
73
Lagane
70
78
76
77
71
70
Sinclair
70
61
76
75
70
69
Darbinyan
72
66
76
74
71
72
Korosec
71
75
75
78
71
74
Kelly
74
69
75
77
73
69
Molano
70
66
75
77
71
65
As a result, Lagane and Korosec from the lists above makes the sprinters list and Luchshenko, Grosser, and Olei would be the next 3 names if the list was extended.
With the weak field Carsi and Bol stand out as the top sprinters, although neither of them bring a complete leadout. Turgis will likely feature in Carsi’s leadout which could give him a shot a bonus seconds in the first two stages.
Bol is the best all-around sprinter here and the most likely of the true sprinters to contest the GC. Van der Lijke would have loved this race in his prime but he had bigger objectives back then, even dimmed as he is by age, he could hang on during the harder stages. Tivani, Kiskonen, and Russo all look like they could hold on if the hilly stages are not selective.
5 PCT teams and 15 from the CT at the start line, 158 riders in all.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
No expectations for the team here. Would be fun with a stage top 3 for Smit or a top 20 in the GC for Carpenter, but we're mostly here to gain experience and be visible in the breakaways.
Montenegro already surprised with a GC victory, so any sort of top 10 would be phenomenal. Tivani has also managed to stay in the top group before, even through the hilly stages - albeit when we had not puncheur.
Let's see what we can do - a 20pprd result would go a huge way toward finding end of season success.
Euskal Bizikleta 
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