Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast Itzulia Basque Country 2026 - Stage 1
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Apr 6, 2026 A lively preview of the Itzulia Basque Country route, with a deep dive into stage profiles and key climbs. A focused look at the short 13.8km time trial, its weird intermediate splits and who it suits. Post-TT reaction to a dominant win and debate over which contenders can realistically challenge overall. Predictions for stage two and which teams or breakaway riders might shake things up.
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Paul Seishas Dominates Basque Country Opener
- Paul Seishas is a complete rider this season, blending explosive climbing with strong time trialling to dominate stage 1.
- He won the 13.8 km Bilbao TT by 23 seconds and looked markedly superior to established GC rivals in pacing and power.
Weird Intermediate Gate Placement In Bilbao TT
- Benji highlights a puzzling placement of a second intermediate time check only 2 km after the first in Bilbao's TT.
- He argues the split should sit at the foot of the final 500m climb to better reveal true punch and descending speed.
Bilbao TT Favors Balanced Punchers
- The Bilbao time trial layout (short steep opening, fast middle descent, punchy final 500m climb) rewards balanced riders who can descend aero and punch uphill.
- Riders like Riccitello, Roglic, McNulty and Seishas all showed differing pacing strategies that decided T2-to-finish gaps.