After finishing second in the two previous editions, Mischa Bredewold took the overall victory at the three day Itzulia Women on Sunday.
The SD Worx-Protime rider had led since winning stage one on Friday, but was forced on the defensive on the final climb, only catching a leading group only in the last kilometre of the final stage to secure victory. Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Premier Tech) was second, while first year professional, Scottish rider, Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ) was third.
After winning Friday's opening stage and finishing second on stage two, Bredewold started the Sunday's last stage with a 16 second lead, though the final climb was always likely to be a challenge, with better climbers close to her on GC. Having gained five bonus seconds at intermediate sprints earlier in the day, the Dutch woman began the final climb with a 21 second buffer, but that was soon eroded when Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM) put the pressure on the Medizorrotz climb.
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Niedermaier was assisted by FDJ United-SUEZ, Dickson having started the day fourth overall, only 20 seconds down, and Bredewold soon found herself more than 30 seconds in arrears. However, when third placed Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) was dropped from the group, she and team mate Ricarda Bauernfeind helped keep the leading group in touching distance.
The 10km descent from the final climb back to the start and finish town of San Sebastián was a desperate one for Bredewold, and she managed to regain contact with the leading group only in the final 500m, finishing with the group to ensure victory.
Though it was redemption for Bredewold, who had finished second overall in the two previous editions, the race was also notable for the mergence of Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE TEAM ADQ) and Dickson.
Scotswoman, Dickson only began racing competitively in 2024, joining the Handsling Alba Development team before signing with FDJ at the start of this season. Since then she has proved herself an extremely capable punchy climber, both as a domestique and, as she did in the Basque Country this weekend, a leader.
She was fourth in the reduced bunch sprint on Friday's opening stage and third on Sunday and the 26-year-old has certainly repaid the team's faith in her.
Włodarczyk showed herself in 2025 when she finished a brilliant fourth overall at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, and while she had victories on lumpy courses, had failed to win a WorldTour race. That all changed at Itzulia, when the Polish rider won both stage 2 and stage 3, finishing fifth overall after missing the race winning move on day one.
The victory for Bredewold is not only a success for her but for SD Worx. The Dutch squad have had a lean spring, but won three stages and finished second over all at the Vuelta Femenina last week, and this weekend's victory will give them huge confidence, especially as they started the race with only five, instead of the maximum six, riders.
Results
Itzulia Women - final general classification
1. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, in 10:15:56
2. Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech, +21s
3. Lauren Dickson (Gbr) FDJ United-SUEZ, s.t.
4. Riejanne Markus (Ned) Liddl-Trek, +22s
5. Dominka Włodarczyk (Pol) UAE Team ADQ, +24s
6. Antonia Niedermaier (Ger) Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto, +29s
7. Évita Muzic (Fra) FDJ United-SUEZ, +36s
8. Usoa Ostolaza (Esp) Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi, +43s
9. Juliette Berthet (Fra) FDJ United-SUEZ, s.t.
10. Ricarda Bauernfeind (Ger) Lidl-Trek, + 45s
