Mischa Bredewold hopes to win again at @ehitzulia “This is a special race for me.” Mischa Bredewold has fond memories of previous editions of Itzulia. She has already claimed four stage victories and finished runner-up twice in the general classification. Itzulia has also been a successful race for Team SD Worx-Protime, as the team has won every stage over the past four editions, except for one. With Mischa Bredewold, Blanka Vas, Steffi Häberlin, Mikayla Harvey and Valentina Cavallara, Team SD Worx-Protime once again lines up with a strong and versatile squad. Mischa Bredewold: “The Itzulia course suits me well. I also see the timing on the calendar as a big advantage. After the Vuelta Femenina, you get that supercompensation effect. The climbs suit me in terms of distance too. They are often tough stages that still end in a sprint—but usually high-speed sprints, because the roads often descend slightly in the final straight.” “We got a boost from the winning feeling in the Vuelta. The sprints and lead-outs also gave me the rhythm I need for what’s coming next. I’m happy I was able to take my first win and finally get off the mark. I had been knocking on the door for a while and could feel the form was there. Then it can be frustrating when it doesn’t come together immediately. I set myself the goal of taking my first stage victory in a Grand Tour this season. At the Vuelta, everything fell into place.” “I’m heading to Itzulia with confidence. I’d really like to win another stage. In the past two years, that also helped me secure a place on the overall podium thanks to bonus seconds. On the final climb in San Sebastian, I cracked each time, though. This year we take the climb from the other side, which is slightly less steep. I think that should suit me better. But let’s take it day by day. We have a strong team at the start. With Steffi Häberlin, Mikayla Harvey and Valentina Cavallara, we have a solid climbing group that can also help control the race. And Blanka Vas and I can go for the sprints.” #wesparksuccess