The Women’s WorldTour: News, Updates, Chirps

['Dale]

SD Werke was fortunate to only receive a minimum penalty after endangering other cars and racers with their hero moves. The response from the rider involved and team management also reflects arrogance.

Ashleigh just looks so cool in the green jersey. So diminutive and in the maillot vert. Her leadership role with the WolfPack is a much better fit for her. And the capabilities in this newly formed team is on the rise. 

The Tourmalet and a time trial this weekend - going to be definitive.

Aaaah, just love it when a breakaway brave one snatches it from the sprinters.

Beautiful racing.

['Dale]

Another stage, another escapee on a Canyon take it.

Beautiful racing by Emma who had multiple fractures of her collarbone in a crash at Strade Bianchi. Her partner races for UAE and just raced the TdF and her brother also races for Movistar. 
2nd stage win for the team with the big M on the jersey.

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by 'Dale

[mikkelz]

On 7/27/2023 at 6:36 PM, Bub Marley said:

And just as I posted this, this morning. SDWorks yet again show just how incompetent they are. This team is going to cost Vollering this tour. I can already see how this is going to play out. 

This didn't age well. 😂

[Bub Marley]

2 hours ago, mikkelz said:

This didn't age well. 😂

She won because she was clearly the strongest. My previous comments still stand though. SDWorks tactics were shocking throughout the tour but at the end of the day the strongest rider won. If they’d worked for her from stage 1, she’d probably have a 5 min lead she’s that strong. 
 

Congrats to Ash. She stuck it out with the big guns today. Was hoping she would have a bit of a kick at the end but alas still a great achievement. 
 

One massive difference between the men’s and women’s races are the strength of the teams. Bar SD works, i feel there is a big drop off from the team leader and the rest of the team. You don’t really have much leadouts or trains at all and that’s on sprint stages and mountain climbs. The men’s GC leaders have far stronger support which i feel makes a huge difference. 

['Dale]

The end of an era. The legend that is Annemiek van Vleuten.

What a season for Vollering. Dominated Spring with the unrivalled strength of her team, working with a psychologist on her mental side and outgunning her challengers. Annemiek and Demi will be teammates at the upcoming World Champs in Glasgow. 
Kopecky stuns with her 2nd place on the podium. Kasia’s 3rd place cements what has been a fantastic week for Canyon- SRAM.

Ashleigh comes in at #6. She would’ve aimed for a podium slot. She’s in her late 30s now and there’s the promise of another season after renewing with the WolfPack.

[mikkelz]

A time trial on the final stage was an exciting way to determine the overall winner!

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Am I the only one thinking Lotte Kopecky's performance in the high mountains and then right up there in the TT the following day was, to quote Greg Lemond in reference to Lance Armstrong, unbelievable?

Maybe I'm just sour grapes over Ashleigh being knock down the rankings but past experience has shown that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it's a f&^%g duck.

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

Am I the only one thinking Lotte Kopecky's performance in the high mountains and then right up there in the TT the following day was, to quote Greg Lemond in reference to Lance Armstrong, unbelievable?

Maybe I'm just sour grapes over Ashleigh being knock down the rankings but past experience has shown that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it's a f&^%g duck.

Just playing the devil, but how is her performance less believable than others?

She is an extraordinary TT rider and rides exceptionally well. Weighing 66kg she isn't exactly 'massive' and her form over the last 2 years has been phenomenal.

I'd have been more surprised had she NOT been up there trying to defend her GC position. She was always going to be flying in the ITT.

 

[BuffsVintageBikes]

At 66kg she's still over 10kg's heavier than some of the other pure mountain climbers and never shown to be particularly exceptional in the high mountains. While I can "maybe" believe she was just on a good ride on the day and absolutely buried herself to stay with the climbers on Sat, the fact that she could recover so well after that massive effort and deliver such a strong TT has just my set alarm bells ringing. Actually, even watching her climb on Sat had my alarm bells ringing already, she looked way more comfortable than some of the pure climbers.

[Jewbacca]

7 minutes ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

At 66kg she's still over 10kg's heavier than some of the other pure mountain climbers and never shown to be particularly exceptional in the high mountains. While I can "maybe" believe she was just on a good ride on the day and absolutely buried herself to stay with the climbers on Sat, the fact that she could recover so well after that massive effort and deliver such a strong TT has just my set alarm bells ringing. Actually, even watching her climb on Sat had my alarm bells ringing already, she looked way more comfortable than some of the pure climbers.

Aspen and Tourmalet are not steep climbs though. I think Aspen is avg 6.5 and Tourmalet 7 or 7.5 ish

AVV weighs 63kg.

So on less than very steep climbs on a less than 90km stage, I'd be very surprised if someone who has won a monument, 2 spring classics, was top 10 in 6 of the 7 big races she rode early season, won both national titles (road and ITT) as well as winning a bunch of smaller races, wasn't able to give it a massive smash.

I guess I'm just saying that as someone with that many wins, current national title holder and a marked, top woman's world tour rider, I'd suggest she gets tested a LOT. 

Like a lot a lot

[Spookie]

8 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Aspen and Tourmalet are not steep climbs though. I think Aspen is avg 6.5 and Tourmalet 7 or 7.5 ish

AVV weighs 63kg.

So on less than very steep climbs on a less than 90km stage, I'd be very surprised if someone who has won a monument, 2 spring classics, was top 10 in 6 of the 7 big races she rode early season, won both national titles (road and ITT) as well as winning a bunch of smaller races, wasn't able to give it a massive smash.

I guess I'm just saying that as someone with that many wins, current national title holder and a marked, top woman's world tour rider, I'd suggest she gets tested a LOT. 

Like a lot a lot

Also, she is targeting the world champs as her main goal, and so has trained to peak pretty much right about now. Pretty sure I also heard them mention how much effort she has been putting into her climbing for it too. That and 7h days in the saddle, along with racing junior boys back in Belgium, and just generally being strong AF to begin with… 

It didn’t exactly look like she was cruising up the Tourmalet, to me it looked like she was suffering, but trying to remain calm and focused on maintaining a certain power output she obviously knew she would be able to maintain. She didn’t have to do any explosive attacks or pull on the front, that was left to Reusser (who is another amazing rider, love her!!!)

[Jewbacca]

1 minute ago, Spookie said:

Also, she is targeting the world champs as her main goal, and so has trained to peak pretty much right about now. Pretty sure I also heard them mention how much effort she has been putting into her climbing for it too. That and 7h days in the saddle, along with racing junior boys back in Belgium, and just generally being strong AF to begin with… 

It didn’t exactly look like she was cruising up the Tourmalet, to me it looked like she was suffering, but trying to remain calm and focused on maintaining a certain power output she obviously knew she would be able to maintain. She didn’t have to do any explosive attacks or pull on the front, that was left to Reusser (who is another amazing rider, love her!!!)

Yeah. I agree.

After getting 2nd at worlds last year, I reckon she is chomping at the bit to get there and hulk smash

Her 2022 and 2023 form has her right at the tippy top of the woman's world tour.

I see her as a female WvA

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Like I said, maybe it's just me 🙄 I'm still not convinced however, plenty other riders training to peak for the Worlds as well.

Either way, it was a very exciting and enjoyable Femmes TdF, gone are the days of boring women's races 🤙

['Dale]

Love this verbal cue on Cecilie’s baaik at World Champs:

Pic: Ivan Bon

Edited August 29, 2023 by 'Dale

[DJuice]

20 minutes ago, 'Dale said:

Love this verbal cue on Cecelie's baaik at World Champs:

Pic: Ivan Bon

That paint job on her bike is special.

 

[shaper]

EF to disband https://www.eurosport.com/cycling/ef-education-tibco-svb-longest-running-women-s-cycling-team-to-disband-in-2023-sponsorship-challenge_sto9748326/story.shtml