Archiv der Kategorie: Frauenradsport

Women’s Tour – GBR – Etappe 5

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, ,

Haverhill – Felixstowe – 155 Km

1 BALSAMO Elisa ITA VALCAR – TRAVEL & SERVICE 03:53:51
2 WIEBES Lorena NED TEAM DSM WOMEN 00:00
3 HOSKING Chloe AUS TREK- SEGAFREDO WE 00:00
4 GUTIERREZ RUIZ Sheyla ESP MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:00
5 VAN DER HULST Amber NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
6 COPPONI Clara FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 00:00
7 VAN ‚T GELOOF Marjolein NED DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMPUR 00:00
8 ROY Sarah AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE WE 00:00
9 BASTIANELLI Marta ITA ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 00:00
10 BARNES Alice GBR CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:00

Gesamt:

1 VOLLERING Demi NED TEAM SD WORX 15:54:38
2 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:02
3 COPPONI Clara FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 01:05
4 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 01:07
5 BIANNIC Aude FRA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 01:26
6 KIRCHMANN Leah CAN TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:39
7 BARNES Alice GBR CANYON//SRAM RACING 01:41
8 GEORGI Pfeiffer GBR TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:46
9 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 01:47
10 LOWDEN Joscelin GBR DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMPUR 01:47

Women’s Tour – GBR – Etappe 5

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, ,

Colchester – Clacton – 96 Km

1 WIEBES Lorena NED TEAM DSM WOMEN 02:19:53
2 BALSAMO Elisa ITA VALCAR – TRAVEL & SERVICE 00:00
3 VAN ‚T GELOOF Marjolein NED DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMPUR 00:00
4 HOSKING Chloe AUS TREK- SEGAFREDO WE 00:00
5 COPPONI Clara FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 00:00
6 BERTIZZOLO Sofia ITA LIV RACING 00:00
7 BASTIANELLI Marta ITA ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 00:00
8 GUTIERREZ RUIZ Sheyla ESP MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:00
9 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 00:00
10 VAN DER HULST Amber NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00

Gesamt:

1 VOLLERING Demi NED TEAM SD WORX 12:00:37
2 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:09
3 COPPONI Clara FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 01:16
4 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 01:19
5 BIANNIC Aude FRA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 01:33
6 KIRCHMANN Leah CAN TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:46
7 LOWDEN Joscelin GBR DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMPUR 01:47
8 BARNES Alice GBR CANYON//SRAM RACING 01:51
9 VAN DEN BROEK – BLAAK Chantal NED TEAM SD WORX 01:52
10 GEORGI Pfeiffer GBR TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:53

Women’s Tour – GBR – Etappe 4

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, , ,

Shoeburyness – Southend-on-Sea – 118 Km

1 WIEBES Lorena NED TEAM DSM WOMEN 02:54:43
2 CONSONNI Chiara ITA VALCAR – TRAVEL & SERVICE 00:00
3 HOSKING Chloe AUS TREK- SEGAFREDO WE 00:00
4 GUTIERREZ RUIZ Sheyla ESP MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:00
5 VAN ‚T GELOOF Marjolein NED DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMPUR 00:00
6 BERTIZZOLO Sofia ITA LIV RACING 00:00
7 ROY Sarah AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE WE 00:00
8 BARNES Alice GBR CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:00
9 BASTIANELLI Marta ITA ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 00:00
10 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 00:00

Gesamt:

1 VOLLERING Demi NED TEAM SD WORX 09:40:44
2 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:09
3 COPPONI Clara FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 01:19
4 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 01:20
5 BIANNIC Aude FRA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 01:33
6 KIRCHMANN Leah CAN TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:46
7 LOWDEN Joscelin GBR DROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMPUR 01:47
8 BARNES Alice GBR CANYON//SRAM RACING 01:51
9 VAN DEN BROEK – BLAAK Chantal NED TEAM SD WORX 01:52
10 GEORGI Pfeiffer GBR TEAM DSM WOMEN 01:53

Women’s Tour – GBR – Etappe 2

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, ,

Walsall – 103 Km

1 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 02:38:03
2 COPPONI Clara FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 00:00
3 GUTIERREZ RUIZ Sheyla ESP MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:00
4 CORDON-RAGOT Audrey FRA TREK- SEGAFREDO WE 00:00
5 GEORGI Pfeiffer GBR TEAM DSM WOMEN 00:00
6 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:00
7 BOOGAARD Maaike NED ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 00:00
8 BIANNIC Aude FRA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:00
9 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM WOMEN 00:00
10 VOLLERING Demi NED TEAM SD WORX 00:00

Gesamt:

1 COPPONI Clara FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 06:22:34
2 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 00:00
3 GUTIERREZ RUIZ Sheyla ESP MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:06
4 VOLLERING Demi NED TEAM SD WORX 00:09
5 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM WOMEN 00:10
6 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:10
7 BIANNIC Aude FRA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:10
8 GEORGI Pfeiffer GBR TEAM DSM WOMEN 00:10
9 KESSLER Nina NED TEAM TIBCO – SILICON VALLEY BANK 00:38
10 BASTIANELLI Marta ITA ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 00:40

Paris-Roubaix Femmes 116km

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, Weltcup und Klassiker, , , ,

1 DEIGNAN Lizzie GBR TREK – SEGAFREDO 02:56:07
2 VOS Marianne NED JUMBO – VISMA WOMEN 01:17
3 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 01:47
4 BRENNAUER Lisa GER CERATIZIT – WNT PRO CYCLING 01:51
5 BASTIANELLI Marta ITA ALÉ BTC LJUBLJANA 02:10
6 NORSGAARD Emma DEN MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 02:10
7 KOCH Franziska GER TEAM DSM 02:10
8 CORDON Audrey FRA TREK – SEGAFREDO 02:10
9 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 02:10
10 BLAAK Chantal NED TEAM SD WORX 02:10
11 MAJERUS Christine LUX TEAM SD WORX 03:03
12 THOMAS Leah USA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 03:03
13 GELOOF Marjolein van.. NED DROPS – LE COL S/B TEMPUR. 03:03
14 PIETERS Amy NED TEAM SD WORX 04:26
15 KOPECKY Lotte BEL LIV RACING 04:33
16 LUDWIG Cecilie DEN FDJ NOUVELLE AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 04:33
17 BEEKHUIS Teuntje NED JUMBO – VISMA WOMEN 04:36
18 KASPER Romy GER JUMBO – VISMA WOMEN 04:41
19 MARTINS Maria POR DROPS – LE COL SUPPORTED 05:55

October 2 nd 2021

Deignan writes history with a one-woman-show

Elizabeth Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) delivered a supreme performance on a historic day, soloing to a maiden triumph in the André Pétrieux velodrome in the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes. The British star went for the very early move and covered the 29.2km of cobbles of the day on her own, alone at the front! Already a winner of Monuments like Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Ronde van Vlaanderen, world champion in 2015, also a winner of major one-day-races like La Course by Le Tour, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Strade Bianche Donne, Deignan survived all the traps of a muddy Hell of the North to take victory ahead of the Dutch icon Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) and her Italian teammate Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo).
A star-studded field with 129 participants take to the course in the early afternoon, with the recent world champions Elisa Balsamo (Valcar-Travel & Service) and many other contenders for the first ever edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes. It’s not raining at the moment, but a strong wind blows from the South. It will push the riders on the first three sectors before the race turns west around km 50.

Reusser and Niewiadoma go down, Deignan goes early
After a few breakaway attempts on the local circuit in Denain, the early attackers are caught ahead of the first cobbles of the day. An early crash leads to the withdrawal of Marlen Reusser (Ale’ BTC Ljubljana) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram Racing), two of the heroes of the recent world championships in Flanders.
As the field reaches the first cobbles, from Hornaing to Wandignies (km 33.9), Elizabeth Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) goes for the very early move, and nobody follows her. The Brit star, a world champion in 2015 and a winner of most of the greatest races in the women’s calendar, said she came to the Hell of the North “as a fan”, and she makes the most of this maiden participation at the front of the race, opening a gap of 2 minutes on the first sectors of the day.

The race explodes in Mons-en-Pévèle
Movistar, SD Worx and Jumbo-Visma are among the teams most involved in the chase. Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) attacks on the cobbles leading to Bersée (55km to go), and the bunch explodes in Mons-en-Pévèle, the first 5-star sector of the day.
With the wet and muddy conditions, Elisa Balsamo is among the riders who go down. 13 riders remain in contention behind Deignan, with Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) and Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) taking long turns at the front.

Deignan resists Vos
The gap is down to 2’15’’ when Deignan hits one of the most demanding sequences of the day: Camphin-en-Pévèle (4 stars) and then Carrefour de l’Arbre (5 stars). The British champ survives a near-miss on the cobbles. Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo), Christine Majerus (SD Worx), Aude Biannic (Movistar) and Sarah Roy (Team BikeExchange) are not so lucky, going down as they try to follow an acceleration by Marianne Vos.

The Dutch icon had a gap of 1’55’’ to bridge in 17km. As she exited the Carrefour de l’Arbre, with 15km to go, she had already cut Deignan’’s lead to 1’15’’. But the Brit had enough energy left in the tank to ride to Roubaix on her own and triumph with a gap of 1’17’’ on Vos. Elisa Longo Borghini put another Trek-Segafredo rider on the podium (1’47’’) as she narrowly fended off Lisa Brennauer (+1’51’’).

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, , ,

Lisa Brennauer: “I’m extra-motivated for this first”


Photo by Plomi

Aware of the magnitude of the occasion, the riders in the women’s peloton are gearing up for the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, scheduled for Saturday 2 October, after their debut on the cobblestones of northern France was frustrated in October 2020 and again last spring. The world of cycling is awash with questions about the favourites to win the inaugural edition, wondering what it takes to shine in this race and whether the decisive attributes are exactly the same as in the men’s competition. Five of these favourites, particularly excited about this momentous event, tell us more about their relationship with the Queen of Classics as the countdown to their initiation on the cobblestones ticks away. The powerful Lisa Brennauer hails from Bavaria, like her friend John Degenkolb (winner of Paris-Roubaix in 2015) and the trailblazer Josef Fischer, first winner of the Hell of the North, in 1896. She can only dream of making history!

Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team)
Kempten (Bavaria, Germany), 8 June 1988
Teams: Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung (2009), Team Hitec Products UCK (20110-2011), Specialized-lulumon / Velocio-Sram Pro Cycling (2012-2015), Canyon-Sram (2016-2017), Wiggle High5 (2018), Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team (since 2019)
Major results:
2013: ITT German champion, TTT world champion
2014: ITT and TTT world champion, silver medallist in the road race, German champion
2015: TTT world champion, winner of the Holland Ladies Tour and the Women’s Tour
2017: winner of the Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen
2018: ITT German champion, winner of the Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen
2019: German champion, winner of the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta, winner of the Festival Elsy Jacobs
2020: German champion, TTT European champion, winner of the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta
2021: German champion, ITT German champion, TTT World champion
An anecdote: Lisa Brennauer has never ridden in Roubaix but she’ll discover both the outdoor and the covered velodrome this October. After the Hell of the North, she’ll return for the UCI Track World Championships, held in the Jean Stablinski velodrome at the end of the month.

A DREAM IS BORN
Paris-Roubaix is coming, and Lisa Brennauer can already feel “goosebumps” as she thinks of “riding the last cobbles in Roubaix, the ‘nice’ ones, and going into the entrance of the velodrome. Iconic is really a word that fits this race well.” The passionate German champion is already familiar with the Hell of the North and its folklore: “It’s a brutal race that we’ve all followed many many times on television, and now we finally can take on this challenge ourselves. So I think it’s a cool step for women’s cycling and I’m excited to be part of it. I like the style of the race. I think it’s also something that suits me as a rider. So I’m extra motivated for this first edition.”

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
There are many requirements to do well on the cobbles, especially on the way to Roubaix. “You need a lot of power, first of all, and of course you need to be able to ride over the cobbles”, Brennauer begins with. “But I also think you need a team, and you need to have the ability to never give up.” The German rider relies on her teammates to put her in the best position to show her abilities, and she notably counts on Maria Giulia Confalonieri: “She has been riding super well in last week’s World Championships.” Brennauer’s stellar TT record shows she has the power and resilience. With several podium finishes in cobble classics such as the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem, she’s already proved her abilities perfectly fit hard racing in difficult conditions: “I really think it’s a race that suits me.”

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
Straight off the world championships, Brennauer went to Roubaix for another recon of the cobbles. “I came pretty early, already last year when we were allowed to travel again. We had perfect Roubaix weather then – it rained”, she describes with a laugh. “I had two days there to ride on the circuit, test the equipment, and I had another two days after the Worlds. I think I know the good way to go, the lines to choose or, at least, the ones not to, to try and make it over the cobbles as smooth as possible.” Hailing from Bavaria, Brennauer has also spoken with John Degenkolb, winner of the 2015 Paris-Roubaix: “We’ve known each other from races since we’re under 15, so his victory is my favourite Roubaix moment. His main advice was to always be in the front and to never give up until you really are at the finish, because everything can happen in this race.”

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
“I think a lot of people see me as a rider who often waits for the finish because I’m quite fast, but I don’t think this is how you will win Roubaix in the end”, Brennauer warns. “Of course, it would be best to arrive alone, or in a very very small breakaway group to be able to win this race, and, yes, it’s a scenario I hope I will be able to create.” To do so, she aims to “save as much energy as possible in this first part of the race, to then be able to be in an attack or launch an attack in the finale. This is where I see myself.” It could lead her to a second victory on French roads, 8 years after she took her first pro win during the Tour Languedoc Roussillon. Raising her arms in Roubaix this Saturday would make for a major landmark in her career and in cycling history.

Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, Weltcup und Klassiker, ,

Key points:
 132 female pioneers are expected at the start of the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Saturday in Denain (13:35) for a 116.4-kilometre race to the Roubaix velodrome, which they will reach if they can withstand the 29.2 kilometres of cobbles that await them.
 One week after the World Championships, the medallists from Leuven will battle on the formidable sectors of Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre. But Italy’s Elisa Balsamo, The Netherlands‘ Marianne Vos and Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma will have several rivals on these unexplored territories.

It’s all about making history. The first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes automatically implies the beginning of a winner’s list on which each of the riders’ entered dreams of writing her name. However, this part of the prestige is only possible for select members of the peloton: the champions who know best how to prepare for the big races. The recent World Championships in Flanders provided insight on an elite group of riders that is capable of starring on the neighbouring roads. One week later, the three medallists in Leuven will have their chance to raise a cobblestone on the Roubaix velodrome, starting with world champion Elisa Balsamo, who will debut her beautiful rainbow jersey in the mud or the dust, depending on the weather. To make it shine at the end of the 116.4 km course, she will have to dominate again Marianne Vos, who will use all her talent as seven times cyclo-cross world champion to fly over the cobblestones and to get an umpteenth triumph. Kasia Niewiadomia, who accompanied them on the world podium and has also been in the top three of the Strade Bianche four times, will also be one of the primary contenders for the title.
The list of favourites doesn’t end with last weekend’s heroines. There are several in the Trek-Segafredo squad, which includes time trial world champion Ellen van Dijk, who will wear her star-studded European champion jersey for the first time; Liz Deignan, winner of the 2020 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 2016 Tour of Flanders and 2016 Strade Bianche and Elisa Longo Borghini, who has won and placed in the biggest races on the calendar. As the Paris-Roubaix course is all-new for the ladies, it will be useful to observe whether the qualities of the rollers will pay off as much as for the men. In this case, Lisa Brennauer (5th) in the world championship time trial), Marlen Reusser (2nd) or the young Dane Emma Norsgaard, should also be watched closely.

22 teams, the leading riders

Australia
Team BikeExchange: Spratt, Roy (Aus)

Belgium
Lotto-Soudal Ladies: Vandenbulcke (Bel)
Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team: K.Schweinberger (Aut)

France
FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope: Uttrup-Ludwig (Den)
Arkéa Pro Cycling Team: Verhulst (Fra)
Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling: Rüegg (Swi)

Germany
Canyon//Sram Racing: Niewiadoma (Pol)
Team DSM: Wiebes (Ned)
Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling: Brennauer, Teutenberg (Ger)

Great Britain
Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur: Van’t Geloof (Ned)

Italy
Alé BTC Ljubljana: Reusser (Swi), Guderzo (Ita), Bujak (Slo)
Bepink: Drummond (Nzl)
Valcar-Travel & Service: Balsamo, Consonni (Ita)

The Netherlands
Liv Racing: Kopecky (Bel), Jackson (Can)
SD Worx: Van den Broeck-Blaak, Pieters (Ned)
Jumbo-Visma Women Cycling Team: Vos, Van den Bos (Ned)
NXTG Racing: Kool (Ned)
Parkhotel Valkenburg: Van der Hulst (Ned)

Norway
Team Coop-Hitec Products: Kröger (Ger)

Spain
Movistar Team Women: Van Vleuten (Ned), Norsgaard (Den)

United States
Trek-Segafredo: Deignan (Gbr), Cordon-Ragot (Fra), Longo Borghini (Ita), Van Dijk (Ned)
Team Tibco-SVB: Stephens (Usa), Kessler (Ned)

@A.S.O. 2021 Paris-Roubaix Femmes map

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage (IV/V)

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, Vorschau, , ,

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig: „Here we are!“

Aware of the magnitude of the occasion, the riders in the women’s peloton are gearing up for the first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, scheduled for Saturday 2 October, after their debut on the cobblestones of northern France was frustrated in October 2020 and again last spring. The world of cycling is awash with questions about the favourites to win the inaugural edition, wondering what it takes to shine in this race and whether the decisive attributes are exactly the same as in the men’s competition. Five of these favourites, particularly excited about this momentous event, tell us more about their relationship with the Queen of Classics as the countdown to their initiation on the cobblestones ticks away. For the Dane Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, racing in the Hell of the North will be a childhood dream come true.

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
Frederiksberg (Denmark), 23 August 1995
Teams: Rytger (2014–2015), BMS BIRN (2016), Cervélo–Bigla (2017–2019) and FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope (since 2020)
Major results:
2012: silver medallist in the World Junior Time Trial Championships
2016: silver medallist in the European U23 Road Race Championships
2017: winner of the UCI World Tour youth classification, third in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, ninth in Strade Bianche and tenth in the World Championships
2018: fourth in La Course by Le Tour de France, sixth in the Giro d’Italia and seventh in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda
2019: third in the Tour of Flanders, third in La Course by Le Tour de France, third in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, fifth in Strade Bianche and winner of the Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan
2020: second in the Flèche Wallonne, fourth in the Giro d’Italia, eighth in the World Championships and winner of the Giro dell’Emilia
2021: second in La Course by Le Tour de France, third in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, fifth in Strade Bianche and winner of stage 3 of the Vuelta a Burgos
An anecdote: a total extrovert who basks in the media glow, she might well have become an actor if she had not been a cyclist. „Once I’m done with cycling, perhaps. Who knows?“

A DREAM IS BORN
At the tender age of 10, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig already used to put Paris-Roubaix at the top of her list of races to watch on television. „The hype was real. The approach to the Trouée d’Arenberg is something I’ll never forget. It was so brutal, so epic, that I would just go crazy when the peloton got there.“ She eventually came to the Arenberg Forest at the dawn of her pro career, six years ago, just for the fun of racing up and down those same cobblestones that she had dreamed about time and again. „It was really special. I thought to myself: ‚Oh, my God, I’ve seen this on television so many times before‘! And now my turn had come. I remember thinking: ’some day, maybe, there’ll be a Paris-Roubaix for me too“. And here we are!“

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
While Paris–Roubaix is a race like no other, strong performances in the Tour of Flanders and Strade Bianche are a reliable indicator of a rider’s ability to do well here. This suits Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, who finished third in De Ronde in 2019 and fifth in the Tuscan race on two occasions (2019 and 2021). However, the 26-year-old climber concedes that a small rider like her (52 kg) seems a bit out of place in the Hell of the North. „There’s no denying that the men who do well in Roubaix are big and strong and crank out some serious wattage. True, I’m nothing like that! But I hope I’ll still be able to produce enough watts and, even more importantly, to be astute enough. In a race like this, you need to stay at the front and be well positioned at the entrance to each sector.“ Since there has never been a Paris-Roubaix Femmes before, the type of riders who will have an edge over the others is still shrouded in uncertainty. „It’s our very first time, so we have no clue how this is going to play out! Thin cyclist, big cyclist, power riders, climbers… Everyone thinks they have a shot at winning, and this is what makes the inaugural edition so special.“

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig is gripped by a mix of fear and excitement at the prospect of tackling the cobblestones. „A bit of both! The Roubaix cobblestones are completely different from the ones in Flanders. I’ve seen pictures of riders who finished with their hands covered in blisters. I can’t imagine how much that must hurt, so I expect to suffer a lot. But I can’t wait to start!“ The FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope leader was unable to take part in her team’s training camp in the cobbled sectors last year. „I haven’t done any recon this year either. But after the road race of the Worlds (Saturday 25 September), I’ll spend the whole week in the area. I’ll take the opportunity to recon every sector, prepare as well as I can and find the right tyre pressure for the big day.“ In order to gear up for the event and get an idea of the nuances of the cobblestones, she admits that she turned to the „Danish Mafia“, the community of Danish riders, including former world champion Mads Pedersen, who just like her lives in Girona, Spain.

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
Scandinavians love it when the weather can change at the drop of a hat, and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig is no exception. However, she is crossing her fingers for sunny skies on 2 October. „The course is tough enough as it is. If you add rain into the mix… I want to see a battle in which the best riders go head to head, not one in which the winner is simply the one who manages to stay on her bike.“ She hopes that the race will be decided by a long-range attack. „But I think many others would agree. Everyone will be ready to fight and vying for the leading places in the approach to the sectors. I think it’s going to be really tough… But this is how I want cycling to be. To be honest, I have no idea what to expect! A top 10 finish, a podium place… More than anything else, I hope to be able to cross the finish line knowing I’ve got nothing left in the tank. Whoever wins this Paris-Roubaix will go down in history. Everyone’s dreaming of being that person.“

UCI World Championship 2021 Leuven – Frauen und Juniorinnen

Eintagsrennen, Ergebnisse, Frauenradsport, Nachwuchs, Weltmeisterschaft, , , ,

Frauen Elite 157,7 km

1. Elisa Balsamo (Italy, ) 3:52:27
2. Marianne Vos (Netherlands, )
3. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland, ) +0:01
4. Kata Blanka Vas (Hungary, )
5. Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cuba, )
6. Alison Jackson (Canada, )
7. Demi Vollering (Netherlands, )
8. Cecilie Ludwig (Denmark, )
9. Lisa Brennauer (Germany, )
10. Coryn Rivera (United States Of America, )
11. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (South Africa, )
12. Alena Amialiusik (Belarus, )
13. Elise Chabbey (Switzerland, )
14. Elizabeth Deignan (Great Britain, )
15. Sina Frei (Switzerland, )
16. Lotte Kopecky (Belgium, )
17. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy, )
18. Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands, ) +0:08
19. Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands, )
20. Marta Cavalli (Italy, ) +0:15

Juniorinnen, 75,0 km

1. Zoe Backstedt (Great Britain, ) 1:55:33
2. Kaia Schmid (United States Of America, )
3. Linda Riedmann (Germany, ) +0:57
4. Elise Uijen (Netherlands, )
5. Makayla Macpherson (United States Of America, )
6. Millie Couzens (Great Britain, )
7. Marith Vanhove (Belgium, )
8. Eglantine Rayer (France, )
9. Eleonora Ciabocco (Italy, )
10. Mijntje Geurts (Netherlands, )
11. Valeria Valgonen (Russian Cycling Federation, ) +1:02
12. Flora Perkins (Great Britain, ) +1:03
13. Anna van der Meiden (Netherlands, ) +1:05
14. Francesca Barale (Italy, )
15. Carola van de Wetering (Netherlands, ) +1:15

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage

Eintagsrennen, Frauenradsport, Frühjahrskassiker, , ,

Elisa Longo Borghini : “I’m not afraid of the cobblestones”

Aware of the magnitude of the occasion, the riders in the women’s peloton are gearing up for the first edition of Paris–Roubaix Femmes, scheduled for Saturday 2 October, after their debut on the cobblestones of northern France was frustrated in October 2020 and again last spring. The world of cycling is awash with questions about the favourites to win the inaugural edition, wondering what it takes to shine in this race and whether the decisive attributes are exactly the same as in the men’s competition. Five of these favourites, particularly excited about this momentous event, tell us more about their relationship with the Queen of Classics as the countdown to their initiation on the cobblestones ticks away. Even though Elisa Longo Borghini is adamant that she’ll ride for her team-mate Ellen van Dijk, she’ll be one of the champions to follow because of her pedigree and her knowledge of the cobblestones.

Elisa Longho Borghini (Trek-Segafredo)
Ornavasso (Piemonte, Italy), 10 December 1989
Teams : Top Girls Fassa Bortolo (2011), Hitec Products (2012-2014), Wiggle Honda (2015), Wiggle High5 (2016-2018), Trek-Segafredo (2019-2021)
Major results :
2012 : 3rd of the World Championships, 3rd du GP de Plouay-Bretagne
2013 : winner of Trofeo Alfredo Binda, 2nd of the Flèche Wallonne Femmes
2014 : winner of the Tour de Bretagne, 2nd of the Grand Prix de Plumelec, 3rd of the Flèche Wallonne Femmes
2015 : winner of the Tour des Flandres, winner of the Route de France
2016 : winner of the Giro d’Emilia, 3rd of the Olympic Games in Rio
2017 : winner of the Strade Bianche, 2nd of the Giro Rosa, 3rd of La Course by le Tour de France, Italian champion
2019 : 5th of the World Championships
2020 : 3rd of the World Championships, 3rd of the Giro Rosa, 2nd of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, Italian champion (road race + TT)
2021 : winner of the GP de Plouay, winner of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, 2nd of the Strade Bianche, 3rd of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, 3rd of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, Italian champion (road race + TT)
An anecdote: An eight-time Italian champion (three for road racing and five for individual time trial), Elisa is the daughter Guidina Dal Sasso who claimed six national titles as an individual and five in the relay as a cross-country skier in the 80s.

A DREAM IS BORN
It’s not the first time for the name Longo Borghini to appear on a start list of Paris-Roubaix. Thanks to the inception of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Elisa keeps following the path of Paolo who was a dedicated domestique in teams like Barloworld and Liquigas. “I got the passion for cycling because of my brother who is eleven years older than me”, she explained. “He took up cycling way before me and I’ve wanted to emulate him. Therefore, taking part in Paris-Roubaix after him is great! Since I have a strong passion for this sport, I’ve always followed this race – but all the other races as well, actually. My first big recollection of Paris-Roubaix is the entrance of Franco Ballerini on the velodrome for its last race ever (on 15 April 2001). When he unzipped his jersey to show his t-shirt “Merci Roubaix”, I was only 11 years old but I was particularly emotional about it.”
“2012 is the edition that stuck with me”, she continued. “Tom Boonen won an absolutely fascinating race that day. My brother rode Paris-Roubaix twice, in 2008 (80th) and 2014 (72nd) and I particularly remember the latter because I saw it on several cobbled sectors. I was watching everything attentively. So it wasn’t a new terrain for me when we went to recce the course of “our” Roubaix earlier this year. We also did two laps of the velodrome and it was moving.”

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
The reigning Italian champion for road racing and individual time trial, Longo Borghini is currently third in the UCI world ranking behind the untouchable Dutch women Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen. She’s fourth of the 2021 UCI Women’s WorldTour of which she has won two legs: the Alfredo Binda Trophy in March and the GP Plouay in August. Third in the Olympic road race, she’s also a specialist of Strade Bianche as she came second this year of the race she once won in 2017 when she underlined the architectural and cultural environment of the event also held on gravel roads. However, that doesn’t necessarily make her one of the top favourites for Paris-Roubaix Femmes. “I don’t think the race suits me very well”, she said. “But I’m convinced that I can be a great help for my team Trek-Segafredo.”

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
About the specificity of the Hell of the North, she’s categorical: “I’m obviously not afraid of the cobblestones”, she stated. “I’m a professional cyclist and I have to adjust myself to the races that are given to me. I know my job and I have to do it, end of the story. Our trainings on the cobbled sectors were also organised in order to test the equipment. We’ll use the bike Trek always provides for Paris-Roubaix: the Domane. I already have all the cobbled sectors in mind but we’ll recce them again in the lead up to the race. At the last minute, we’ll evaluate the situation to decide which wheels to use, which tyres, what to put on our hands and if we’re going to race with or without gloves. We’ll look into the last details.”

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
Talking about her role in the team Trek-Segafredo, she clarified: “I’ll race for what is our aim: to win the race with Ellen van Dijk.” The 34 year old Dutch rider has the experience required for this kind of event. Moreover, she’s the on-form champion of the moment as she recently took two major titles for herself: the European championship for road racing in Trento, Italy, on September 11, and the world championship for individual time trial in Brugge, Belgium, on September 20, getting her second rainbow jersey against the clock after the one of 2013. In both cases, she won alone as she crossed the line in Trentino 1’18’’ before Germany’s Liane Lippert. The ideal scenario for Trek-Segafredo would be a solo victory in Roubaix. Longo Borghini knows what it takes to make it happen. In 2014, she saw her brother escorting his leader Peter Sagan whereas in 2008 he was sharing this task at the service of Australia’s Baden Cooke with a debutant who didn’t manage to reach the velodrome: Chris Froome.

2021 PARIS-ROUBAIX FEMMES: TEAMS SELECTION

Frauenradsport, Vorschau, , ,

After the withdrawal of teams; A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team (Ita), Plantur-Pura (Bel) and Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team (Rus). The organizers of Paris-Roubaix Femmes have modified the teams selection for the 1st edition (Saturday, October 2, 2021) by inviting: Bepink (Ita).

Below the 22 teams selected:
WorldTeams automatically entered are:

Ale‘ BTC Ljubljana (Ita)
Canyon / / SRAM Racing (Ger)
FDJ Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope (Fra)
Liv Racing (Ned)
Movistar Team Women (Esp)
Team BikeExchange (Aus)
Team DSM (Ger)
Team SD Worx (Ned)
Trek – Segafredo (Usa)

Furthermore, the five following UCI Women’s Continental teams will participate by right in Paris-Roubaix Femmes:

Ceratizit – WNT Pro Cycling Team (Ger)
Lotto Soudal Ladies (Bel)
Parkhotel Valkenburg (Ned)
Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank (Usa)
Valcar – Travel & Service (Ita)

The organisers have invited the following teams:

Arkéa Pro Cycling Team (Fra)
Bepink (Ita)
Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport – Proximus Continental Team (Bel)
Drops – Le Col supported by Tempur (Gbr)
Team Coop – Hitec Products (Nor)
Jumbo – Visma Women Team (Ned)
NXTG Racing (Ned)
Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling (Fra)

When the „Roubaisiennes“ take the stage (II/V)

Chantal van den Broek-Blaak: “You can’t compare Roubaix with any other race”

Aware of the magnitude of the occasion, the riders in the women’s peloton are gearing up for the first edition of Paris–Roubaix Femmes, scheduled for Saturday 2 October, after their debut on the cobblestones of northern France was frustrated in October 2020 and again last spring. The world of cycling is awash with questions about the favourites to win the inaugural edition, wondering what it takes to shine in this race and whether the decisive attributes are exactly the same as in the men’s competition. Five of these favourites, particularly excited about this momentous event, tell us more about their relationship with the Queen of Classics as the countdown to their initiation on the cobblestones ticks away. Winner of the neighbouring Tour of Flanders, the 2017 World Champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak hopes her instinct and experience can make the difference in a race where “anything can happen”.

Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (SD Worx)
Rotterdam (South Holland, the Netherlands), 22 October 1989
Teams: AA Drink – Leontien.nl (2008-2012), Tibco – To the top (2013), Specialized-Lululemon (2014), Boels Dolmans (2015-2020), SD Worx (2021)
Major results:
2014: winner of Drentse 8 van Dwingeloo and Open de Suède Vårgårda
2015: winner of Le Samyn des Dames
2016: winner of Le Samyn des Dames, Ronde van Drenthe, Gent-Wevelgem and Boels Rental Ladies Tour
2017: World Champion, Dutch Champion
2018: Dutch champion, winner of Amstel Gold Race
2019: winner of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
2020: winner of Le Samyn des Dames and Ronde van Vlaanderen
2021: winner of Strade Bianche and Simac Ladies Tour
An anecdote: at 31 years old and with many wins under her belt, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak has already announced she would retire at the end of the 2022 season, a year after her longtime teammate Anna van der Breggen. They are set to become coaches for SD Worx.

A DREAM IS BORN
As “a classics rider”, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak has been hoping for years to take on the unique challenges of Paris-Roubaix. “It’s a super cool course, a typical one-day race, it fits me and I’ve been waiting for this moment”, she acknowledges ahead of the first edition of the women’s event. “I always watch the men’s race”, she says, “and you can see it’s a pure classic. You can see it’s tough and you cannot compare it with anything else. So I have mixed feelings: I’m super excited but on the other hand it’s also a bit scary.” Van den Broek-Blaak, a proper expert in gruelling races, has been impressed by the action packed racing always displayed on the way to Roubaix, and most notably by Mathew Hayman’s exploit in 2016, when he triumphed in the velodrome ahead of the Belgian icon Tom Boonen despite a broken arm six weeks earlier: “If you can’t race for such a long time, and you prepare at home and win, that’s cool!”

CUT OUT FOR THE COBBLESTONES?
Used to shining in the Spring classics, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak is hopeful she can also tame the cobbles in the Autumn. “You need power for this, and I’m a bit of a bigger rider”, she explains. “Normally, I’m good in really hard races, when it’s been hard all day and there’s a hard finale coming up. Roubaix, whether it’s ridden fast or slow, you’ll always be empty in the end. I think it makes it a good race for me.” In her 14th season as a professional rider, she can also make the most of her experience in a nervous race requiring specific abilities: “It takes a mix of power and skills. I’m not bad at riding the cobbles, but I’m also not the best. It’s not like I’m a cyclo-cross rider that always jumps on and off the bike. I’m not gonna do it like Marianne Vos! But I’m not scared, so that’s a good thing.”

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SHAKE
With her experience, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak assures “you can’t compare the cobbles in Roubaix with any other race. I always take the example of Flanders, and in the Ronde, if you’re empty, you can always try to find a way out, but in Roubaix, it’s impossible. It’s flat and there is not much rest in between the sectors. And the cobbles are really hard, very bumpy. So when you’re empty, you really lose a lot of speed.” The Dutch champion has already done two recons to get familiar with the unique challenges leading to Roubaix and test specific material. “But we had good weather, with a lot of dust, and that makes me a bit nervous because the condition can be muddy in October. That’s why I’m returning quickly after the Worlds to prepare as much as possible. You can train physically, you can prepare your equipment, you can make yourself ready mentally, because you know it’s gonna be hard, and then you have to accept that anything can happen in Paris-Roubaix.”

THE IDEAL SCENARIO
With her resistance, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak has won most of her 25 pro wins in small groups or on her own, after she made the most of the challenges of the day to drop all her rivals. “The solo would be awesome”, she anticipates with a laugh with the velodrome of Roubaix on her mind. “But I can never predict a race, it’s a feeling, and I hope I can have the right instinct again in Roubaix. I normally race the best when everyone is just empty. Let’s start with a hard race, that always makes me happy.” Tactically, “it makes no sense to copy the men’s race”, she says, although she’s inspired by the many scenarios witnessed in previous editions: “We’ve seen it’s a race where anything can happen. You can win from the early breakaway. You can be in the best position and have a flat or crash. You can be dropped and return for the win. I’m gonna do everything and hopefully I’ll have good legs and a bit of luck!”