The Ineos chained the joy of the end of the last edition of Itzulia with the start of the current one. If in 2022 Daniel Felipe Martínez took the txapela, it seems that the team continues to know the secrets of the race and has imposed a scorching dominance on you in the first stage, between Vitoria and Labastida. The British team has tied the test from the starting signal and at the finish line they have exerted an incontestable dominance. Barrenetxea, Cristian Rodríguez and Juaristi embarked on an adventure shortly after starting and the British team aborted it with just over 30 kilometers to finish. During the 164 km of the stage they controlled with a firm hand. Even a champion like Bernal lent a hand. For the final kilometres, Plapp, Castroviejo and, above all, a Friar who took Hyter in a comfortable chair to the vicinity of the final line took the baton. This did not fail in the shot against Schmid, for whom the Soudal Quick-Step had also worked hard. Third and fourth were the local Aberasturi, which was closed, and Aranburu, and fifth the Venezuelan Aular
The day was destined for an end of this type, with the sprinters taking center stage, since, although the entire route was very winding, there was only one climb, Opakua (2nd), at the beginning of the stage (km 33, 1). Hayter is a very young rider, 24 years old, who takes all the honor at the start of the Basque round. It is his twelfth victory as a professional, he scored the general of the Tour of Poland and Norway. Ineos was not satisfied with that, they also took bonus seconds in the Laguardia sprint, led by Daniel Felipe Martínez. The roosters also fight for that loot and Vingegaard entered the fray.
Ibon Ruiz was also seen in a stage with little chicha, when trying to enter, without luck, in the breakaway of the day. The personnel was aware of the two ramps of 400 meters each of the final section, at eight percent. The air began to hit in the final stretch, but did not unleash the nerves for possible fans. The continuous ups and downs made the pursuit difficult, but it was relentless. Adam Yates and Carlos Rodríguez fell off the field of participants at the last minute. The auction was colossal, with Omar Fraile showing that he is up for a lot in this Itzulia. He released Hayter 150 meters away and he owes him half a victory. Overall, Hayter leads Schmid by four seconds, Aberasturi by six and last year’s winner Martinez by seven. Vingegaard, the great favorite, is fifth to eight seconds.