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

[yaco]

Existence of an underage competition* is not usually** grounds for prohibiting someone competing in the senior event.

* which there is not in team time trial anyway.

**indeed, possibly never: I can't think of an example.

Except the rider already competed in the under 23 ITT. How can you compete in two different classes of races.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Except the rider already competed in the under 23 ITT. How can you compete in two different classes of races.

By being eligible for both.

 

[Cycling111]

Except the rider already competed in the under 23 ITT. How can you compete in two different classes of races.

There is no U23 mixed category.

 

[yaco]

There is no U23 mixed category.

I am fully aware there is no under 23 mixed category like there is no mixed junior category.

 

[KZD]

Nice birthday present for Paul Seixas, a silver medal.

Good win for Australia. Switzerland messed up by not waiting for Reussler, they likely lost gold there.

 

[Wyndbrook]

My understanding is the team is wearing a combination of team kit and Aussie kit to get maximum advantage.

I thought everyone was adamant that 23 world tour riders should compete as seniors.
Anyway in cyclocross mixed relay the selection is one senior, one u23 and one junior, but with riders allowed to move age groups. Works well.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Most important question, what's in the medallists goodie bag, not seen anyone look impressed when taking a quick peep.

 

[RedheadDane]

Hmm... interesting that the U23 riders get a day - today - all to themselves, while the Juniors and Elites share Saturday.
Wouldn't it make more sense to have the Juniors and the U23 riders on the same day?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Hmm... interesting that the U23 riders get a day - today - all to themselves, while the Juniors and Elites share Saturday.
Wouldn't it make more sense to have the Juniors and the U23 riders on the same day?

The juniors were the last to have their ITT, and the U23 RR is longer and therefore harder to squeeze in before the elite race.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I don't know whether Bäckstedt has already travelled home or if she'll be a spectator for the rest of the championships, but she isn't racing today (this isn't a great course for her, to be fair, and the British team is not weak without her).

The U23 women will do 8 laps of the local circuit for a total distance of 119 km. We have already seen the Côte de Kimihurura in action multiple times during these championships, but this will be the first time we'll see the Côte de Kigali Golf in a race. Question is if it will be possible for the stronger climbers like Bella Holmgren and Bunel to get rid of Ferguson and Gery before the finish, and also whether or not team dynamics will play a part or if it will simply be an elimination race from the get go.

What we do know is that the riders that competed in the mixed relay yesterday could be at a disadvantage, but for some it might also work as a decent warm up. Ciabocco has no teammates, but that should at least make it easier for the team car to keep an eye on her. Appleton should enter this race with a lot of confidence after her l'Avenir podium and Chladonová will be hoping to get yet another WC medal.

Valeria Valgonen had some decent results when she rode at conti level, but Ivanchenko is probably the best Russian bet for this race. She rode ride the final part of the time trial much faster than Chladoňová, Venturelli and Wilson-Haffenden, but she also benefitted from being able to overtake more riders towards the line.

Start list: https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=24931&y=2025&k=8

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Just joined this thread:
What happened to Netherlands on the U23 RR start-list?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Just joined this thread:
What happened to Netherlands on the U23 RR start-list?

They've send no riders and were also close to not sending any juniors either.

 

[Red Rick]

That's already 2 crashes halfway the first lap?

 

[SafeBet]

Looks a lot more technical than the TT parcours.

 

[Red Rick]

Looks a lot more technical than the TT parcours.

That corner into the first climb looks very tricky with the road narrowing

 

[Red Rick]

It reminds me of the Montjuic circuit in the amount of false flat downhill. Makes it actually really hard for breakaways as opposed to a regular ____/\____/\___ parcours

 

[QueenStagiaire]

That Spanish jersey looks ugly.

 

[Red Rick]

Like half the peloton dropped already

 

[rghysens]

It reminds me of the Montjuic circuit in the amount of false flat downhill. Makes it actually really hard for breakaways as opposed to a regular ____/\____/\___ parcours

Looks a lot like the Mendrisio 2009 circuit too, if you look at the difficulty of the individual climbs. And then you add some cobbles, altitude and heat.

 

[Samamba]

I have a feeling we're gonna be seeing really weird things the upcoming days due to almost no one being prepared for a whole race at altitude.

 

[yaco]

Australia had to have the dropped Anderson wait for Coupland who suffered a mechanical after the climb to bring her back to the peleton.

 

[Red Rick]

I have a feeling we're gonna be seeing really weird things the upcoming days due to almost no one being prepared for a whole race at altitude.

More so among junior categories who aren't gonna be going to altitude for this.

 

[Berniece]

More so among junior categories who aren't gonna be going to altitude for this.

Belgian riders had the opportunity to prepare for this. Even the younglings.

 

[Samamba]

More so among junior categories who aren't gonna be going to altitude for this.

A lot of pros haven't either, same with u23. Think difference between guys who have been well prepared and others is gonna be immense. Also wonder what the advantage of guys who grew up on altitude will be.

 

[Red Rick]

A lot of pros haven't either, same with u23. Think difference between guys who have been well prepared and others is gonna be immense. Also wonder what the advantage of guys who grew up on altitude will be.

Yes, but the elites will all have raced at altitude before, and done altitude camps before, and probably most did go to altitude at some point in the season. So I'd expect them to to adapt a little quicker. Also, the guys that did the TT will have been in Kigali for about 10 days by then.

But you're generally right, I actually think Pogacar not adapting to the altitude due to not doing altitude is his biggest loss condition.