Since Itzulia Women started in 2022, Demi Vollering has won all but one edition and the winner of that one, Marlen Reusser (Movistar), isn't on the start line of this year's race, which starts on Friday.
Still, that doesn’t mean the Dutch defending champion is heading into the fourth edition in 2025 assuming that the top step is hers, not even after once again heading into the race fresh from victory at the Vuelta Femenina.
The FDJ-SUEZ rider may have the results record to bolster the confidence but there is a twist in this year's three-stage Women's WorldTour event.
The aim is "hopefully to win again", Vollering told reporters in an interview shared by race organisers on social media after the team presentations.
"But this year the Itzulia is a bit less hard than the previous years so we need to see how the racing is going and I hope the peloton is excited to race and they want to race aggressively. At least we want to race aggressively.
"It's may be not what suits us the best, but we will make the best out of it.”
Itzulia Women starts on Friday with the longest day of racing, a 148.5km from Zumarrage to Agurain with three categorised climbs but a flat finish and then moves onto a 116km stage 2 from Ugao-Miraballes to Igorre that has four categorised climbs – one cat. 2 and three cat. 3 – the last peaking 36km before the line.
The finale will then play out on the 112.6km stage 3 starting and finishing in Donostia, including the category 1 Jaizkibel climb, the category 3 Gurutze and then finishing with the category 2 Mendizorrotz before descending in the Donostia finish line.
"I think the last stage is the hardest so I think that is where the GC will be made but of course you need to be there the first two days as well, so you need to keep your eyes open for the first two days," said Vollering.
The final climb on the crucial final stage will be raced in reverse order, this year leaving the riders with a 6.4km ascent at an average gradient of 5.2%, ten kilometres before the line, rather than a 4.1km effort at a considerably steeper 7.3%. That could play a part, said Vollering.
"I think it's a bit easier from that side," said Vollering. "But still it's a nice climb so I hope still I am able to do something nice there."
