Giro d'Italia 2024 Giro d'Italia Women: 7/7 - 14/7

[JR1012]

Not a fan of SD Worx, but always happy to see Niamh win. Let's see how her GC challenge goes.

Gain Realini doesn't seem the same rider as last year and what on earth has happened to Silvia Persico who was one of the best riders a few years back

Well Persico skiped a whole season of cyclocross to be in better shape. See the result...

 

[awavey]

Kopecky said before the Giro she wasn’t going for GC. Might change her opinion with how it stands. Or she’ll try to get Niamh the victory.

part of me thinks that was just media talk, I cant believe Kopecky didnt come into this race without some form of GC aspiration the way she has been one of the strongest riders in the Womens pro tour this last year and half, she was one of the leading favourites for the race.

Though that doesnt mean she was going for the overall win, because you never know what the focus on the Olympics will have done with road race form and the mountains to come, but shes clearly got some kind of free role to play thats not all in for any other rider the team, was busy picking up her own bottles today like she does sometimes, maybe its classic distraction everyone watches her, but misses the real moves

Yet how do they pull Niamh back into it from 1min down? and whilst theyre busy doing that, and maybe playing some kind of lets promote Niamh to be the future team leader roles, give her confidence to win a stage or two,and maybe sign a new contract because we could really do with filling the gaps in our team next year etc etc, actually they could be chucking away a bigger result.

 

[awavey]

Not a fan of SD Worx, but always happy to see Niamh win. Let's see how her GC challenge goes.

Gain Realini doesn't seem the same rider as last year and what on earth has happened to Silvia Persico who was one of the best riders a few years back

the Lidl Trek effect I was thinking about it during the Tour of Britain as I hadnt seen Lizzie quite so animated and as strong a rider since well her PR win for Trek, and there she was bossing it with the British Cycling team, a week after being fairly anonymous during Ride London, then gets back to Trek duties in the Giro and its like she still in this race ? she is but down in 83rd nearly 10mins off, and I dont think Ive seen her on the coverage bar a brief TT appearance fair enough Im not glued to the screen all the time

But its like what do Trek do to their riders, are they not allowed to mix things up abit, I know shes essentially there to support ELB win, and get into form for the Olympics, but still even SDWorx riders are allowed to try to get in breaks.

and that maybe whats happened with Realini too, now shes no longer eligible for young riders jersey, not quite ready yet to challenge for QoM jersey, doesnt have a chance in sprints or overall yet and will always be on the team where another rider is the teams focus. So she's sort of lost the teams free reign to ride for herself like she had been doing. Instead you have things like that almost ridiculous setup they did at the Tour de Suisse where they tried to launch ELB on an attack up a climb, with Gaia leading her out, that totally burned Gaias chance on that stage, actually didnt work anyway, but who on earth thought getting the smallest rider on the front for a leadout like that works ?

 

[yaco]

Seems like she always goes to mid tier teams where she's the only good GC rider. I don't know for sure but you'd think she's had offers from bigger teams at times. I don't know if that's what she prefers or if those offers haven't come, maybe due to her starting late and being mid 30s when she started focusing on cycling. It also seems like a couple of her teams stepped up immediately after her leaving so maybe it's just been timing.

It would have helped Garcia if her team-mates could perform better. If a Zigart or Wylie or even Smulders could pace for 2 or 3 kms then Garcia could have hidden in the bunch for longer and more effectively used her power. Riding on the front for 7kms and then attacking id somewhat ambitious.

 

[yaco]

part of me thinks that was just media talk, I cant believe Kopecky didnt come into this race without some form of GC aspiration the way she has been one of the strongest riders in the Womens pro tour this last year and half, she was one of the leading favourites for the race.

Though that doesnt mean she was going for the overall win, because you never know what the focus on the Olympics will have done with road race form and the mountains to come, but shes clearly got some kind of free role to play thats not all in for any other rider the team, was busy picking up her own bottles today like she does sometimes, maybe its classic distraction everyone watches her, but misses the real moves

Yet how do they pull Niamh back into it from 1min down? and whilst theyre busy doing that, and maybe playing some kind of lets promote Niamh to be the future team leader roles, give her confidence to win a stage or two,and maybe sign a new contract because we could really do with filling the gaps in our team next year etc etc, actually they could be chucking away a bigger result.

If I am NFB then i am leaving SD Worx. Its a joke how often she is riding at the front of the peleton, while, at the same time trying to do GC.

 

[yaco]

the Lidl Trek effect I was thinking about it during the Tour of Britain as I hadnt seen Lizzie quite so animated and as strong a rider since well her PR win for Trek, and there she was bossing it with the British Cycling team, a week after being fairly anonymous during Ride London, then gets back to Trek duties in the Giro and its like she still in this race ? she is but down in 83rd nearly 10mins off, and I dont think Ive seen her on the coverage bar a brief TT appearance fair enough Im not glued to the screen all the time

But its like what do Trek do to their riders, are they not allowed to mix things up abit, I know shes essentially there to support ELB win, and get into form for the Olympics, but still even SDWorx riders are allowed to try to get in breaks.

and that maybe whats happened with Realini too, now shes no longer eligible for young riders jersey, not quite ready yet to challenge for QoM jersey, doesnt have a chance in sprints or overall yet and will always be on the team where another rider is the teams focus. So she's sort of lost the teams free reign to ride for herself like she had been doing. Instead you have things like that almost ridiculous setup they did at the Tour de Suisse where they tried to launch ELB on an attack up a climb, with Gaia leading her out, that totally burned Gaias chance on that stage, actually didnt work anyway, but who on earth thought getting the smallest rider on the front for a leadout like that works ?

Problem is that Deignan was very strong in 2023 as a support ridder, and the plan was to give her more leadership opportunities in 2024, however, her form is not at the level. Anyway, if i was the leader, I'd love to have Deignan leading me around before the final.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Today's stage has potential to be a great one, but it will depend on the situation after the penultimate climb. Kopecky could win it, but we know that SDW don't want to work for anyone, including themselves, so an attack with NFB in it might succeed once again. As I was fearing yesterday, the CSR tactic of keeping the pace high didn't really work, so I expect them to attack later on.

 

[Didinho]

part of me thinks that was just media talk, I cant believe Kopecky didnt come into this race without some form of GC aspiration the way she has been one of the strongest riders in the Womens pro tour this last year and half, she was one of the leading favourites for the race.

Though that doesnt mean she was going for the overall win, because you never know what the focus on the Olympics will have done with road race form and the mountains to come, but shes clearly got some kind of free role to play thats not all in for any other rider the team, was busy picking up her own bottles today like she does sometimes, maybe its classic distraction everyone watches her, but misses the real moves

Yeah the Olympics is her biggest goal in years. I’ve watched her in the last Belgian track meeting and was strong but not her best self. She’s also lost some explosiveness, which we could see in some sprints. Maybe just focusing more on endurance and power this year for the Olympics.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Kerbaol has abandoned due to sickness.
The break has 5 minutes, so Magalhães has a great chance to reclaim the QOM.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Clara Emond is on her own front, while an interesting group has escaped from the peloton. It only has about a minute though and it's 3 minutes behind Emond.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Emond has 2:20 at the top of the climb, so it's not over yet.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Chabbey and Magnaldi went clear from the chase group over the top, but they are still trailing Emond by 1:20 and the last climb isn't difficult.

 

[awavey]

Becky Storrie has had to abandon, was caught up in a crash yesterday, initial xray they thought she'd broken her collarbone again.

Later they realised that was the earlier season collarbone break which is still healing, so she was cleared to ride albeit in alot of pain still and under observation

Ultimately she had to stop as the pain was too much

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Emond hasn't lost much in the past 10 km and should be winning it now, as well as gaining the QOM jersey.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I thought G3 would be caught by the peloton, but they (some of them) have made it back to Chabbey and Maganldi. The would probably have fought for the win if they have had better cooperation. Still if Cille can take back time here, the fight for the podium is definitely on.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Nice win for Emond. EF keep on going strong.

Kopecky couldn't drop ELB. Trek should have tried something on the earlier climbs.

 

[awavey]

Have we mentioned how confusing, Le Courts, not Pienaars, Mauritian national jersey is with the world champion bands, lucky Lotte is in the red points jersey today

 

[awavey]

Good to see Cecile up in 3rd too

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Have we mentioned how confusing, Le Courts, not Pienaars, Mauritian national jersey is with the world champion bands, lucky Lotte is in the red points jersey today

I did mix them up at one point yesterday, but at least their bikes are different, even though they are from the same brand.

I didn't expect Le Court/Pienaar to deliver such good results when she signed with AGI-QS. The fact that she can climb decently isn't a complete surprise giving her background in MTB, but she started the season strong in the classics as well. Right now she looks more like the rider I thought Vas would become.

 

[yaco]

An underwhelming stage and an underwhelming winner.

 

[awavey]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1811046505127580091

View: https://x.com/girowomen/status/1811046505127580091

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cecilie back up in the GC mix earns the stage bonus points.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Cecilie back up in the GC mix earns the stage bonus points.

Labous got a 20 second penalty for taking a bottle too close to the finish, which pushed her down to 4th. I still expect her to finish in front of Cille by the end.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Labous got a 20 second penalty for taking a bottle too close to the finish, which pushed her down to 4th. I still expect her to finish in front of Cille by the end.

So do I, but let me have my forlorn hopes lol.

 

[awavey]

Alice Towers (CSR) will be a DNS tomorrow, knee injury in a crash today, no fractures, but going home to recuperate.