Pello Bilbao entered his eighth Itzulia Basque Country on Monday as the clear leader for Bahrain-Victorious and with a building record at the race that had earned him a clear spot on the contenders list. However, after just one day of racing, he has had to pull the pin due to illness.
The Basque rider has ridden and finished every edition of the race since 2015, winning a stage at last year’s race and finishing fifth on the overall. The 33-year-old also has had a strong start to the season, coming third overall at the Tour Down Under as well as fourth at Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana and the UAE Tour.
It was no surprise then when Bahrain-Victorious said in their pre-race media statement that their goal at the Itzulia Basque Country was to support Bilbao in his eighth appearance at the race, with the aim of helping him make it to the GC podium and win a stage. Though, now they will have to turn to plan B.
“Due to a respiratory infection, our leader [Pello Bilbao] is forced to abandon [Itzulia Basque Country] and won't be at the start of stage 2 tomorrow,” said Bahrain-Victorious on Twitter.
Two-time Vuelta a Burgos winner Mikel Landa – who is also racing his eighth edition of the event and finished second in 2018 – is also on the Bahrain-Victorious roster for the six-stage event, providing a clear alternate team leader.
Landa not only has a solid history at the race but also had a strong season start including a second place on GC at Vuelta a Andalucia, a seventh at Tirreno-Adriatico and last month a fifth at Volta a Catalunya. However the course, with its narrow roads and challenging climbs, is better suited to Bilbao than his fellow Basque rider.
“Looking at the route, it’s not a course that suits me, but racing at home always motivates me," said Landa in a media release before the race began. "Knowing the roads in such a race, it’s always an advantage, and I’m in good shape.”
The six stage Itzulia Basque Country started in Vitoria-Gasteiz on Monday with a day for the sprinters, with Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) taking the opening stage. The climbing however starts to ramp up on stage 2, which is both the longest day of the race at 193.8km and includes five climbs along the way from Viana to Leitza in the east. The race then builds through the week to the final stage on Saturday April 8, which includes three first-category climbs nestled among the seven classified ascents.
