2025 WC: Thread for all the women's races + Mixed Relay

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Reusser wasn't even breathing that hard at T2. So she must have paced it well and thus could push at the end.

Wonder if she was undergeared during the downhill section, as she lost time to vdB though.

Guess the course should favor evenepoel but we know how it goes.
 
After Reusser finally got her gold yesterday, racing will continue today with the first ever stand alone U23 ITT. It will take place on the same route as the men's JR ITT. With only one ascent of Côte de Nyanza, I expect Zoe Bäckstedt to add another rainbow jersey to her collection, but the fight for the other medalists are harder to predict. Wilson-Haffenden is perhaps the best of the rest on paper, but question is if the course is better suited for stronger climbers like Blasi or Chladonová.

Start lists:
 
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Bäckstedt is way faster than Reusser yesterday on the combined sectors they both did.

Obviously Reusser had to do 10km more, but Bäckstedt IMO would have won a medal yesterday and instead opted for a completely pointless u23 title.
 
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That would be a bit unfair these days, with WT teams signing riders straight out of juniors.
I think this is a probably a dead horse type discussion, but perhaps folks can remind me why the UCI doesn’t simply make it U-21 instead of U-23? That would seem an appropriate adjustment to youths training like pros earlier in their careers and competing for pro teams at earlier ages.
 
I think this is a probably a dead horse type discussion, but perhaps folks can remind me why the UCI doesn’t simply make it U-21 instead of U-23? That would seem an appropriate adjustment to youths training like pros earlier in their careers and competing for pro teams at earlier ages.

An under 21 would be a perfect solution, however, I would still make WT riders ineligible.
 
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I doubt it was Zoe, more likely the clowns at British Cycling.
She does the same in cyclocross, so I think it's her decision and not British Cycling. And in this case there's even something to be said for it, as she didn't have any U23 world titles on the road yet.

I think she couldn't have challenged for the elite title, btw. In cross she's also sometimes faster on the same course as the elites... but then when she races the elites she can't beat them, 99% of the time. Different conditions, shorter distance.
 

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