Archiv der Kategorie: Frauenradsport

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!”

Ceratizit Challenge – Etappe 4

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, , , ,

As Pontes – Santiago de Compostela – 108 Km

1 KOPECKY Lotte BEL LIV RACING 02:29:37
2 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 00:00
3 HENDERSON Anna GBR JUMBO-VISMA WOMEN TEAM 00:04
4 VAS Kata Blanka HUN TEAM SD WORX 00:06
5 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:06
6 BALSAMO Elisa ITA VALCAR – TRAVEL & SERVICE 00:06
7 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna POL CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:06
8 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 00:08
9 MACKAIJ Floortje NED TEAM DSM 00:08
10 MARKUS Riejanne NED JUMBO-VISMA WOMEN TEAM 00:08

Gesamt:

1 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek NED MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 08:40:18
2 REUSSER Marlen SUI ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 01:34
3 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 03:12
4 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 03:30
5 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 03:59
6 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna POL CANYON//SRAM RACING 04:04
7 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 04:13
8 MACKAIJ Floortje NED TEAM DSM 04:38
9 VAS Kata Blanka HUN TEAM SD WORX 04:57
10 ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena NED LIV RACING 07:58

Annemiek van Vleuten rises to the challenge

Annemiek van Vleuten delivered an attacking masterclass from the mountain resort of Manzaneda to Pereiro de Aguiar on Saturday. The Dutch star made the most of her unique abilities on a hilly terrain to claim victory after a 50km solo ride that also saw her take the overall lead from Marlen Reusser, who still leads the points standings.

“I’m surprised after a good block of altitude training. I thought I wasn’t well rested but maybe the first two days helped me a bit and today I felt great. We had a very good plan with the team. There was a tricky downhill and I thought it was the moment to go right after that. I had a chance if we were able to isolate Marlen Reusser and that was the case. My team is confident that we can defend the leader’s jersey tomorrow in the last stage.”
Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) went on the move with Kasia Niewadoma (Canyon//SRAM), Kata Blanka Vas (SD Worx) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) after the first hour of racing. The four attackers had a lead of 20’’ at km 45. Only Longo Borghini was able to keep going with Van Vleuten ahead of a group of seven chasers with the race leader Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana), Marta Cavalli (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope), Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM), Liane Lippert and Floortje Mackaij (Team DSM) joining Niewadoma and Vas.

After 60km, Van Vleuten dropped Longo Borghini and pushed on her own to try and bridge as big a gap as possible to Marlen Reusser, who enjoyed a significant gap with her victory in stage 1. The Dutch attacker crossed the line in Pereiro de Aguiar with an advantage of 2’48’’ on Lippert and Niewadoma, and 3’03’’ to Reusser, now trailing by 1’34’’ in the overall standings ahead of the final stage from As Pontes to Santiago de Compostela, with a grand finale in the Galician city ahead of the closing ITT of La Vuelta 21.

CERATIZIT Challenge – Etappe 3

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, , , , ,

Annemiek van Vleuten rises to the challenge

1 Van VLEUTEN Annemiek NED Movistar 2:44:41
2 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 02:48 39,99
3 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna POL CANYON//SRAM RACING 02:48
4 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 02:51
5 MACKAIJ Floortje NED TEAM DSM 02:55
6 VAS Kata Blanka HUN TEAM SD WORX 03:01
7 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 03:01
8 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 03:01
9 REUSSER Marlen SUI ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 03:03
10 BALSAMO Elisa ITA VALCAR – TRAVEL & SERVICE 07:13

Gesamt:
1 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek NED MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 06:10:25
2 REUSSER Marlen SUI ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 01:34
3 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 03:20
4 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 03:38
5 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 04:07
6 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna POL CANYON//SRAM RACING 04:14
7 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 04:35
8 MACKAIJ Floortje NED TEAM DSM 04:46
9 VAS Kata Blanka HUN TEAM SD WORX 05:07
10 ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena NED LIV RACING 07:30

Annemiek van Vleuten delivered an attacking masterclass from the mountain resort of Manzaneda to Pereiro de Aguiar on Saturday. The Dutch star made the most of her unique abilities on a hilly terrain to claim victory after a 50km solo ride that also saw her take the overall lead from Marlen Reusser, who still leads the points standings.
“I’m surprised after a good block of altitude training. I thought I wasn’t well rested but maybe the first two days helped me a bit and today I felt great. We had a very good plan with the team. There was a tricky downhill and I thought it was the moment to go right after that. I had a chance if we were able to isolate Marlen Reusser and that was the case. My team is confident that we can defend the leader’s jersey tomorrow in the last stage.”

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) went on the move with Kasia Niewadoma (Canyon//SRAM), Kata Blanka Vas (SD Worx) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) after the first hour of racing. The four attackers had a lead of 20’’ at km 45. Only Longo Borghini was able to keep going with Van Vleuten ahead of a group of seven chasers with the race leader Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana), Marta Cavalli (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope), Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM), Liane Lippert and Floortje Mackaij (Team DSM) joining Niewadoma and Vas.
After 60km, Van Vleuten dropped Longo Borghini and pushed on her own to try and bridge as big a gap as possible to Marlen Reusser, who enjoyed a significant gap with her victory in stage 1. The Dutch attacker crossed the line in Pereiro de Aguiar with an advantage of 2’48’’ on Lippert and Niewadoma, and 3’03’’ to Reusser, now trailing by 1’34’’ in the overall standings ahead of the final stage from As Pontes to Santiago de Compostela, with a grand finale in the Galician city ahead of the closing ITT of La Vuelta 21.

CERATIZIT Challenge – Etappe 2

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, , , , ,

Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda ICTT – 7,3 Km

1 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek NED MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:19:08
2 REUSSER Marlen SUI ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 00:20
3 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 00:28
4 FAULKNER Kristen USA TEAM TIBCO – SILICON VALLEY BANK 00:48
5 THOMAS Leah USA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 00:59
6 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM 01:00
7 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 01:15
8 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna POL CANYON//SRAM RACING 01:20
9 ŽIGART Urška SLO TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE 01:23
10 ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena NED LIV RACING 01:24

Gesamt:

1 REUSSER Marlen SUI ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 03:27:03
2 ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena NED LIV RACING 01:36
3 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek NED MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 01:39
4 RIVERA Coryn USA TEAM DSM 01:45
5 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 01:48
6 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 02:06
7 FAULKNER Kristen USA TEAM TIBCO – SILICON VALLEY BANK 02:26
8 THOMAS Leah USA MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 02:37
9 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM 02:38
10 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 02:54

The Dutch star Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) dominated on Friday the second stage of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta 21. After a first hilly stage, day 2 saw the field take on a 7.3km uphill time-trial leading to the mountain resort of Manzaneda with slopes at an average gradient of 5.8%. Following her Olympic title in Tokyo’s ITT, Van Vleuten set a winning time of 19’08’’. The overall leader Marlen Reusser (Ale’BTC Ljubljana), also a silver medallist in the Olympic ITT, finished 2nd on the day (+19’’) and Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) rounded out the podium with a gap of 27’’.

“I chose the time-trial bike because it was faster for me and I was just happy to ride it”, Van Vleuten said. She announced a big battle to try and overturn Reusser’s lead before the race reaches Santiago de Compostela on Sunday: “Tomorrow, I have nothing to lose and everything to win. I hope other teams feel like that and we can put on a big show.”

With another strong performance, Marlen Reusser has an advantage of 1’36’’ overall on Pauliena Rooijakkers (LIV Racing) and Annemiek van Vleuten is now third (+1’39”). The Swiss champ also leads the points standings. On Saturday, the penultimate stage will see the peloton take on another hilly course from the mountain resort of Manzaneda to Pereiro de Aguiar.

CERATIZIT Challenge – Etappe 1

Ergebnisse, Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, , ,

MARLEN REUSSER ON OLYMPIC FORM

1 MARLEN REUSSER 56 ALE‘ BTC LJUBLJANA 03h 07′ 46“ – B : 10“ –
2 CORYN RIVERA 94 TEAM DSM 03h 08′ 08“ + 00h 00′ 22“ B : 6“ –
3 ELISE CHABBEY 65 CANYON//SRAM RACING 03h 08′ 08“ + 00h 00′ 22“ B : 4“ –
4 PAULIENA ROOIJAKKERS 46 LIV RACING 03h 08′ 08“ + 00h 00′ 22“ – –
5 ELISA BALSAMO 111 VALCAR – TRAVEL & SERVICE 03h 09′ 34“ + 00h 01′ 48“ – –
6 ANNA HENDERSON 75 JUMBO-VISMA WOMEN TEAM 03h 09′ 34“ + 00h 01′ 48“ – –
7 LOTTE KOPECKY 43 LIV RACING 03h 09′ 34“ + 00h 01′ 48“ – –
8 ALISON JACKSON 42 LIV RACING 03h 09′ 34“ + 00h 01′ 48“ – –
9 MARIE LE NET 36 FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 03h 09′ 34“ + 00h 01′ 48“ – –
10 FLOORTJE MACKAIJ 93 TEAM DSM 03h 09′ 34“ + 00h 01′ 48“

Silver medallist in the time-trial of the Olympic Games, the Swiss star Marlen Reusser (Ale ́ BTC Ljubljana) carried the form that also saw her shine in the Ladies Tour of Norway (4th) and the Simac Ladies Tour (2nd) to win on Thursday stage 1 of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta 21 as she powered to victory on her own in A Rúa, ahead of her breakaway companions

The peloton rolled from the mountain resort of Manzaneda in the morning and faced 117.8km of racing. The pace was high from the start. After a fast first hour (42.9km/h), a group of attackers broke away from the bunch with Pauliena Rooijakkers (Liv Racing) Marlen Reusser (Ale’ BTC Ljubljana), Elise Chabbey (CANYON//SRAM Racing), Lucy Kennedy (Time BikeExchange) and Eric Magnaldi (CERATIZIT WNT). Coryn Rivera (Team DSM) joined them at km 65 to make the break of the day.

The battle went on up the Alto da Portela (cat. 1), the main uphill challenge of the day with 15.2 kilometres at 5.3%. Kennedy and Magnaldi were dropped from the lead group and caught by the peloton, led by Movistar Team and Team SD Worx, with a maximum gap of 2’15’’ with 29km to go.
The terrain was much easier in the second part of the stage. The four attackers still at the front worked well together to maintain a gap of 2 minutes to the bunch. In the final kilometres towards A Rúa, Marlen Reusser opened a small gap to her breakaway companions and claimed victory.

The rider from Ale’ BTC Ljubljana said she didn’t want a sprint against the American Coryn Rivera. The bunch finished with a gap of 1’48’’. Regarding a potential overall victory, Reusser said she will probably lose time to the likes of Anna van der Breggen, Annemiek van Vleuten and Elisa Longo Borghini on Friday’s uphill time trial but she was satisfied with this opening result.

THE WORLD’S BEST COME TO THE CERATIZIT CHALLENGE BY LA VUELTA 21

Etappenrennen, Frauenradsport, Vorschau, , ,

• The expanded format, over four days (from September 2 to 5), seduced the world stars of the women’s peloton.
• Annemiek van Vleuten, Anna van der Breggen and Elisa Longo Borghini are among the big names at the start of the Cabeza de la Manzaneda mountain resort.
• Mavi Garcia and the best Spaniards are also expected in Galicia.

The 7th edition of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta 21 promises to be spectacular, from September 2 to 5, from the Cabeza de la Manzaneda mountain resort to Santiago de Compostela. The most famous stage race on the Spanish calendar, which this year offers a complete program in Galicia, with two medium mountain stages, an uphill time trial and a flat stage, has won over the world stars of the peloton. female, according to the list of entries. 24 teams sent their list of participants, for a total of 143 competitors expected at the start.

Three very big names stand out, those of the top three riders in the UCI world ranking: Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women), Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo). The first one is the European road champion and current leader of the UCI Women’s WorldTour and she has just won, in the wake of her Olympic time trial title, the Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa Women and the Ladies Tour of Norway. Van der Breggen is the reigning World champion, approaching the end of her career scheduled at the end of the current season, and Longo Borghini is the Italian national champion, bronze medalist in the road race at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The two-time defending champion Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) will try to make it three in a row even if the route, this year, presents characteristics different from the editions concluded in the streets of Madrid. Three other members of the world top 10 (7/10 in total) are announced: Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope), Lotte Kopecky (Liv Racing), Katarzyna Niewadoma (Canyon // SRAM). The future will also be written on the roads of Galicia since the best two youngsters of the UCI Women’s WorldTour are lined up: the New Zealander Niamh Fisher-Black (SD Worx), who dominated the best young rider standings of three stage races this year (Vuelta a Burgos Féminas, Giro d’Italia and Ladies Tour of Norway), and the French Elite champion Evita Muzic (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope).

Competitors from very diverse backgrounds will attend the race with Japan’s Eri Yonamine (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank), Australia’s Amanda Spratt at the head of a strong Team BikeExchange, Hungary’s Kata Blanka Vas (SD Worx), the USA’s Coryn Rivera (DSM), Mexico’s Katia Martínez (Eneicat-RBH Global-Martin Villa), Colombia’s Paula Patiño (Movistar Team Women), Cyprus’ Antri Christoforou (Women Cycling Sport)…

The CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta 21 is also a source of great motivation for Spanish cyclists, led by the national champion (road and time trial) Mavi Garcia (Alé BTC Ljubljana). Ane Santesteban (Team BikeExchange), Sheyla Gutiérrez and Lourdes Oyarbide (Movistar Team Women) may have to work in the service of their leaders. The event represents a great opportunity to shine for other teams in the country that are invited to participate: Massi-Tactic Women Team, Eneicat-RBH Global-Martin Villa, Women Cycling Sport, Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte, Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Ciclista Euskadi and Team Farto-BTC.

More information about the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta : www.challengebylavuelta.com

An impressive cast of contenders have arrived in Galicia ahead of four days of action (September 2-5) en route to Santiago de Compostela. Among them, the World Champion Anna van der Breggen (3rd in the UCI World ranking) will participate for the first time in the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta in what may be her last appearance with the rainbow jersey before she defends her titles in Belgium. Other riders from the top positions of the UCI World raking are in Galicia: Annemiek van Vleuten (1st), Elisa Longo Borghini (2nd), Lisa Brennauer (7th, winner of the last two editions in Madrid), Marlen Reusser (10th), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (11th)…

As La Vuelta also heads to Galicia, the stars of the UCI Women’s WorldTour will battle in a much different environment than the usual settings of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta, around Madrid and in the streets of the Spanish capital. The first three stages are centred around the mountain resort of Manzaneda, with 2 hilly stages (1 and 3) and an uphill time-trial on day 2 (7.3km with an average gradient of 5.8%). The final stage, on Sunday, heads to Santiago de Compostela on flatter terrain (107.4km). The overall winner will be crowned on the Praza do Obradoiro, in front of the cathedral.
Over 340 km, the race will enjoy the support of ŠKODA, who display once again their support for cycling and for equality in sport. They will provide 15 cars to the organisation, including two electric SUVs ENYAQ iV and the hybrid versions of OCTAVIA and SUPERB.

TIFFANY CROMWELL: “THE AMBITION IS ALWAYS TO WIN”
Fresh from her come-back in the UCI Women’s WorldTour at the GP Plouay in France on Monday, Tiffany Cromwell, a true world’s traveller who recently took part in the Belgian Waffle Ride in North Carolina (USA) after representing Australia at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, heads to Spain for a first taste of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta with her team Canyon SRAM Racing led by Poland’s Katarzyna (“Kasia”) Niewadoma who is currently 11th on the UCI world ranking.

How many countries have you visited this year?
I’ve lost the counting but it’s close to 20! It’s been a great year so far with lots of wonderful experiences and sporting satisfactions. My last time to Spain was in mid-May for the Gran Premio Ciudad de Eibar and I’m looking forward to returning for the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta. It will be my first participation because in previous years, my team didn’t enter due to a busy program until last year but I wasn’t on the line up. I’m excited to discover Galicia. The closest I’ve been to was Ponferrada for the world championships in 2014.

What do you expect from the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta?
It should be great! It’s a different parcours from what it was like in the region of Madrid. It’s mountainous, maybe not the perfect terrain for me but it’s a nice program and an excellent build-up for the world championships.

What are your team’s ambitions?
The ambition is always to win. We have a good team. The competition will be of a very high level but we want to do well, whether it’s the final podium or a stage win. Kasia is a great rider. She loves to race hard and aggressive. As a team-mate, she’s awesome. She’s full of energy and very talented. She was second at the Flèche wallonne féminine this year. The terrain of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta should suit her well.

What about yourself?
For this race, I’ll have a support role as I probably don’t have enough strength for these climbs. I’m having my best season in many years, I was stronger when I was younger and I’ve had some ups and downs in the last few years but I’ve had some good racing in the classics and going to the Olympics this year has been great. However, I always want more. I might try and get a result in the last stage of the CERATIZIT Challenge by La Vuelta since we don’t really have a sprinter in the team. In any case, I’ll be there for the team and I hope for a great four days of racing in Galicia.

Niewiadoma in Trentino to fight for gold and glory

Frauenradsport, Meisterschaften, Vorschau, ,

The Polish rider with a passion for cuisine has her sight set on the European Championships in Trento (8-12 September 2021), hoping to add to her previous success in the continental champs and claim her first seasonal win.
As an intense feeling between Katarzyna Niewiadoma with the European Road Cycling Championships has remained unchanged although she still misses the most prestigious success in the Elite category (while she won the U23 race twice), maybe the right time is coming, from September 8th to 12th in Trentino that “Kasia” considers „a special place, with so much to offer, the nature, the mountains, good food and very kind people“.

For the Polish rider, winner at the 2016 Giro del Trentino, the current season has been plenty of top placements in major races, grazing the victory at Flèche Wallonne and Dwars door Vlaanderen, both finished as runner-up: „I would like to win more frequently, even if it’s not easy – Niewiadoma argued -. I’m aware that it is just a matter of time, I should trust the timing and keep believing in myself and my team! Maybe I wish I had some more luck in the past, but it’s all part of my learning process”.

On the Trentino roads, however, the Polish athlete will have to face the hard competition of the Dutch team and other fierce competitors aiming to dress the European Champion jersey. „All Dutch cyclists are always to watch out for, as well as Elisa Longo Borghini, Cecilie Ludwig, Lizzy Deignen and Lisa Klein, just to name a few.“

Regarding the route of the Women’s Elite road race on Saturday, September 11th (107.2 km) and its technical features, Niewadoma said: „I haven’t been there for a recce, but I have seen some race profiles on the internet and I’m excited about it! I always like so much to represent my country and this year we have a great opportunity to race in Italy, which I always feel very special. I love Italy and would love to live there for a while one day.“

In recent years, Niewiadoma has been able to make herself appreciated as a reference point in women’s cycling that “keeps progressing, with better focus on aspects such as training and nutrition” and by her followers for her passions beyond cycling, mostly fashion and cooking: “I was mainly focusing on cycling previously but over the time I realized to need something extra for keeping myself inspired and motivated. I love cooking and baking, and luckily my boyfriend (former US rider Taylor Phinney, ed) has a big appetite and eats anything with a big smile”.

PROGRAM

Wednesday, September 8th

9:15 am – Junior Women Individual Time Trial – 22,4 km
10:45 am – Junior Men Individual Time Trial – 22,4 km
2:30 pm – Team Relay – 44,8 km (2 laps of the 22.4 km circuit)

Thursday, September 9th

9:15 am – U23 Women Individual Time Trial – 22,4 km
10:45 am – Elite Women Individual Time Trial – 22,4 km
2:15 pm – U23 Men Individual Time Trial – 22,4 km
4:00 pm – Elite Men Individual Time Trial – 22,4 km

Friday, September 10th

9:00 am – Junior Men Road Race – 107,2 km
1:50 pm – Junior Women Road Race – 67,6 km
4:30 pm – U23 Women Road Race – 80,8 km

Saturday, September 11th

9:00 am – U23 Men Road Race – 133,6 km
2:15 pm – Elite Women Road Race – 107,2 km

Sunday, September 12th

12:30 pm – Elite Men Road Race – 179,2 km