Mischa Bredewold wins opening stage in Itzulia for the third year in a row

Mischa Bredewold was the fastest in the opening stage of Itzulia. When Antonia Niedermaier accelerated on the climb and a leading group was formed, Mischa Bredewold bridged across. She then helped maintain the pace in the front group, after which she proved to be the fastest not only in the intermediate sprint but also in the final sprint. For the third year in a row, she wins the first stage of Itzulia Women. “This race just suits me.”

Mischa Bredewold: “The race opened up on the climb I was a bit wary of beforehand. Antonia Niedermaier made it super tough and set a strong pace. I surprised myself because I saw that some stronger climbers than me were struggling. That gave me confidence.”

“Riejanne Markus made a good move in the final metres. She went even earlier than I expected, but luckily I was still able to come around her. That this is already my fifth stage win in Itzulia Women is crazy. I’m always in good shape here. After the Vuelta as my first stage race, I had a few easier days and that approach works well for me.”

“Whether I will now make the overall win a goal? Today I did a good job with the stage win. But I’ll take it day by day. The peloton came quite close at the end, so the time gain is limited. We’re also only here with five riders, so we have to use our energy wisely and can’t control the race all day. But we will definitely fight for it.”