Pogacar cuts with Roglic

La Itzulia is told in slow motion, although the race runs at full speed, the one set by the Roglic-Pogacar couple, or vice versa, that if Slovenia were Spain and the twenties of the new millennium would travel back in time to the fifties of Francoism they would be the imitation of the struggles between Bahamontes and Loroño, or ten years ago in Italy, those of Coppi and Bartali, antagonists on the road and in the passion of the public.

Frame by frame, the final two kilometers of the stage, which culminate in Ermualde, a short distance from the center of Llodio, where Wilco Kelderman and Michael Woods stumble on a curve and lose their options, unfold rapidly even if it seems otherwise, because the A film from the stage, which is always written every ten or twenty kilometers, is being written from meter to meter.

• Aranburu is in a hurry

• Roglic distance to Pogacar

It all begins at 2.5 kilometers, when Pogacar can no longer be tied to the discipline of a patient peloton, and accelerates, in the shady area, with a 17% gradient.

Roglic reacts, who else, and sticks to his wheel.

There is almost no one left in the group, only the strongest, and those who once were aspiring to win the Itzulia, but now they feel powerless with those monsters who swallow everything they throw at them, and go out to win any race.

Nobody goes out to prepare the next one anymore.

The one that counts is the one at stake.

2.4 kms.

It is Carapaz, unhappy the day before in La Asturiana, fallen on an uphill curve, who appears by the head.

Lower your head and accelerate without looking back.

The GPS indicates that the slope is already 20%, but nobody gives way.

When the Ecuadorian cyclist gives up, the Slovenians return.

Again Pogacar tries, once again Roglic sticks to his rear wheel with cement.

Two kilometers remain for the finish line, for the roller, the massage and the rest.

They look at each other, they lower their pedaling and from behind, making a supreme effort, the aspirants appear: Yates, Gaudu and Mikel Landa, who often trains on those roads;

who knows them by heart and knows where to push, where to yield.

But the French, the Basque and the British are not allowed to breathe for a second.

They try to catch the wheel, but it slips out of their hands as if it were soapy.

Again Pogacar, there is a kilometer and a half.

Who follows him?

Roglic, of course, there is no other answer.

They mark the signs with 1,100 meters remaining for the banner and then Roglic accelerates for the first time.

The two Slovenians take their companions off the hook and it seems that the leader saved the strength for something else.

News: Alejandro Valverde also appears behind, who has regulated in the ascent, as always, without priming himself or spending unnecessary forces, but victory is already far for the opening act, because the main actors are already fighting for it.

In the

between the young and the less young, the winner of the Tour wins, who with his presence gives shine to Itzulia, and more so if he gets on the podium.

Roglic remains in the lead, but now Pogacar is second, just 20s away.

NcNulty, who did not lose much, is third at half a minute, and then Yates at 39s and fifth the eternal Valverde at 50. At the middle of the race, the colors of Slovenia continue to shine at the start, or even more so.

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