Annemiek Van Vleuten Burned All Her Matches in Itzulia Women. Here’s What Happened.

Annemiek van Vleuten burned all her matches in the final stage of Itzulia Women, but despite her best efforts couldn’t hold on to claim the win.

Fresh off her general classification victory in La Vuelta Femenina, AVV worked throughout the three-day stage race to put on a repeat performance.

Stage 1

In the 122.2 kilometer first stage from Eika-Etxebarria to Markina-Xemein, the Movistar rider had a good race until she crashed on the final climb of the route. On the 5.8 kilometer Urkaregi climb, Van Vleuten went down hard, hurting her hip and wrist. She finished in fourth place, behind 2022 winner SD Worx riders Demi Vollering and Marlen Reusser, and Canyon-Sram rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma.

“Not our day with a crash in the final with [Sheyla Gutiérrez], [Paula Patiño] and me. Could chase back on before the final climb but painful hip [and] wrist, but will be ok. Was a ‘nice’ reminder of Basque racing: full gas rainy day,” tweeted Van Vleuten.

Stage 2

Starting stage 2 with a 51 second deficit, Van Vleuten, 40, worked from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Amurrio. The Dutchwoman navigated 133.2 kilometers through the woods, wetlands, and hills. Van Vleuten finished in fourth place for the red and white polka dot jersey while Vollering took the win.

Stage 3

Van Vleuten's last chance to close a 1:11 gap and fifth place standing came in stage 3 from Donostia to Donostia. With three major climbs over the 114.8 kilometer race, she made a last ditch effort on the final climb-Mendizorrotz. At 4.1 kilometers with 7.3 percent incline, Van Vleuten pushed ahead while Vollering worked in her draft.

“They played it well. They didn’t have to attack on the final climb and I had to,” Van Vleuten said in an interview with Cycling News.

A master descender, AVV managed to separate herself from Vollering and the chase group on the descent. However, working off the front with almost 30 kilometers to Donostia, several racers including UAE ADQ rider Olivia Baril, Niewiadoma and Reusser were able to close the gap with about 14 kilometers to the finish.

“I just go all out and I took the downhill quite safe so maybe they took some time back there. I went full gas hoping there was no response in the group behind,” Van Vleuten said.

With Vollering on Van Vleuten’s wheel, Reusser pulled away from the group and finished 2:38 ahead of the group.

Finishing fifth overall, Van Vleuten’s tenacity was rewarded with the combativity prize. A less than ideal ending in Spain’s Basque Country for one of the most decorated racers of all time.

“Looking back on three good days of racing in Itzulia Women. I can’t say it was about the lack of local support that I didn’t win here,” Van Vleuten posted to her Twitter account.

In her final year racing, the Olympic champion and winner of the inaugural Tour de France Femmes plans to race the Tour of Lekkerkerk on Thursday and then take a break for training before defending her Giro d’Italia Donne title next month.

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