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

[RedheadDane]

All right, one and a half years. Holmgren: May 2025, Chladonova: November 2006

DAMN! A literal baby finished in the top-10?!

 

[theyoungest]

What are you talking about? Different focus, different trajectory?

Chladonova was the junior XCO world champion at the same event. Aged just 18, she finished sixth at the CX U23 World Championships, one place behind Holmgren, who was in her second year of competing in this age group. What's more, Chladonova finished tenth in her first elite category CX World Cup race. I expect her to have a very strong CX season this winter, now that she has spent a full year with Visma.

It's you who suggested comparing them at the same age, so Chladonova this year vs. Holmgren last year. And that's difficult to do, since Chladonova seems to have abandoned the mountainbike altogether whereas Holmgren rode an XCO season next to the road season... and became world champion. That's a different trajectory and a different focus.

I don't know what the plans for Chladonova's CX season are, she's done a full road season so I assume it's not going to be much. Visma are very careful and she's ony 18/19 years old. 10th in Benidorm was impressive, but also not really representative as it's more of a criterium.

 

[TheKidsCallMeBoss]

It's you who suggested comparing them at the same age, so Chladonova this year vs. Holmgren last year. And that's difficult to do, since Chladonova seems to have abandoned the mountainbike altogether whereas Holmgren rode an XCO season next to the road season... and became world champion. That's a different trajectory and a different focus.

I don't know what the plans for Chladonova's CX season are, she's done a full road season so I assume it's not going to be much. Visma are very careful and she's ony 18/19 years old. 10th in Benidorm was impressive, but also not really representative as it's more of a criterium.

You're trying to frame it as if Holmgren did a full XCO season, when in fact she only did a few U23 races + the Olympics.

Since Viki's birthday falls so late in the year, I still stand by my statement that there are two years, or more precisely two seasons, between them. Viki completed the entire 2025 road season at the age of 18. Holmgren can say the same about the 2023 season.

Btw, Viki has said several times that CX is her favourite sport, and that the main reason she chose Visma was because it allowed her to combine road cycling and CX. So I would be surprised if she didn't have an extensive CX season in the winter.

 

[theyoungest]

You're trying to frame it as if Holmgren did a full XCO season, when in fact she only did a few U23 races + the Olympics.

Since Viki's birthday falls so late in the year, I still stand by my statement that there are two years, or more precisely two seasons, between them. Viki completed the entire 2025 road season at the age of 18. Holmgren can say the same about the 2023 season.

Btw, Viki has said several times that CX is her favourite sport, and that the main reason she chose Visma was because it allowed her to combine road cycling and CX. So I would be surprised if she didn't have an extensive CX season in the winter

I'm not sure what your point is, apparently it's hugely important that Chladonova is better than Holmgren. Okay, fine. She seems like a big talent and a very modest person, which is always a good combination.

 

[JR1012]

The french and dutch team need to make the race as hard as possible to drop riders like Dygert, Lippert, KLCP, Rüegg and Vas. Because in a sprint they can all beat Vollering and PFP.

Biggest question: will the dutch team work for Vollering or will they disrupt themselve?

 

[broppo]

Reusser looked ridiculously strong in the tt and the mixed relay. I expect a lot from her tomorrow!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The junior road race gets the Saturday schedule going. 5 laps will be completed for a total distance of 74 km. Most of strongest riders from the ITT will probably also do well here. Gabriella McHugh, Irati Aranguren, Alyssa Sarkisov, Neve Parslow and Eirini Papadimitriou are some of the other names to look out for, as well as the MTB/crosser in Anja Grossmann and Rafaelle Carrier. The latter signed as a stagiaire with Arkéa before the end of last year, but has not officially raced for them yet, although she did wear their helmets throughout the CX season.

 

[RedheadDane]

Meanwhile, Irati Aranguren signed a stagiare contract with Laboral Kutxa, and she actually has ridden multiple races for them.
Oh, and she's only 17. Turning 18 on 8/12.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Race's about to get underway. We'll probably see some riders get dropped early like in the U23 race, but hopefully the real action will starter earlier than in that race. Since it's shorter it will definitely happen sooner timewise.

 

[RedheadDane]

That didn't look good with the South African rider...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Nice attack from Cermanová, but it didn't last that long. She was one of the first year juniors I was looking forward to seeing after she won the junior Volta a Portugal Feminina as a youth rider last season. The field in that race was stronger this year resulting in her only finishing 14th, but with top 10s in both De Ronde and Gent-Wevelgem she has displayed some talent as well. Karolína Špicarová is most likely the best Czwech bet for today though.

Daniela Hezinová would have been among the favourites/outsiders, but we'll have to wait for the Euros to see her in action. Junior CX World champion and MTB WC/EV medalist, Barbora Bukovská, hasn't raced (much) on the road yet, but could be another Czech rider too keep an eye on in the coming years.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Tsige Kiros is looking much better today after the underwhelming ITT.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Things have really calmed down again so this race one will also be decided during the last lap and a bit.

 

[Red Rick]

This may just be the strangest race I've ever seen.

The group is like 3x the size at 20km to go than it was at 60km to go

 

[Netserk]

In the shorter races, the finish dominates the route. Those most able to open the race benefit from a closed, passive race.

But the overall difficulty of the elite races should make them more similar to the U23 men's race, or even more active.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Just tuned in and looks like a solid group ride. The other women's race was also atrocious. Why can't the women produce better racing on circuits like this?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Haha ridicolous what is this

 

[RedheadDane]

Just tuned in

That was a bit late...

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Rabo!

 

[Red Rick]

Just tuned in and looks like a solid group ride. The other women's race was also atrocious. Why can't the women produce better racing on circuits like this?

Because if you're the strongest in this race, there is no point in attacking early at this level, and because there are no strong teams to coordinate and make the race hard.

I choose to see it as a positive, they're actually racing way smarter than the Belgian u23s who were racing like they had some serious hypoxia in the head.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Someone could have made such an attack 20 times already, but it finally happened. Grossmann doesn't seem to have much coolness, but as an off road specialist she's of course less used to tactical racing.

 

[RedheadDane]

Trine Schmidt: ... When there are hills that go up and down...

That's a pretty... basic definition of hills.

 

[Red Rick]

Too many attacks on this climb.

The optimal amount is 0

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Only the Dutch and now Papadimitriou have realised that if you keep getting dropped on the climbs you won't increase chance of success by just sitting on during the flat and downhills. Ciabocco did more as a one woman army in the U23 race than the three Italians have done here.

 

[Didinho]

Italy will attack now, right?