Vuelta a España La Vuelta Femenina 2025 (May 4-10)

[Samu Cuenca]

I don't really understand the Fenix tactics in this race. Keeping Rooijakkers in contention wasn't an easy job, so I can see why they didn't try, but surely you can tell her not to keep dropping their GC rider.

 

[JR1012]

FDJ is trying so hard to gift the mountain jersey to Evita, but failed. 🤣

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I don't really understand the Fenix tactics in this race. Keeping Rooijakkers in contention wasn't an easy job, so I can see why they didn't try, but surely you can tell her not to keep dropping their GC rider.

No extant races truly suit Rooijakkers unfortunately, just because of her troubles of pack racing, descending and on the flat. Even a hockey stick isn't ideal for her, she's best at races with a really tough climb early in the day that reduces pack size and lets her race in a less nervy, smaller group from early on.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

FDJ is trying so hard to gift the mountain jersey to Evita, but failed. 🤣

It's not over yet. If Vollering finishes 4th and Reusser doesn't finish higher than 3rd, then it will be hers.

Edit: Vollering will actually have to finish 5th (she shouldn't have taken points earlier), so it isn't that likely, but it is still possible for Muzic to get 6th.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

First signs of strain on the face of Vollering, but she looks comfy enough on the bike. Van der Breggen still going for the grind-them-to-dust-off-the-front technique, but it's been this quartet for quite a while now.

 

[MartinGT]

Didn't Van der Breggen try this tactic the other day and then failed?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Didn't Van der Breggen try this tactic the other day and then failed?

She could try a proper attack, but I guess she doesn't want to fully risk losing second place either, although that may happen regardless in a sprint against Reusser.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Didn't Van der Breggen try this tactic the other day and then failed?

This always used to work for her back in the day, and she didn't exactly demonstrate the widest variety of tactics during her stint in the team car. However, she was a lot more tactically astute back in the mid-2010s so I wonder what happened. I suspect it's a combination of SD Worx being so OP that they could just win on brute force and no longer being able to team with Marianne Vos, but it does feel like history repeating itself for sure.

 

[MartinGT]

AVdB must think shes Vollerings dom

 

[Libertine Seguros]

AVdB must think shes Vollerings dom

Doing more to help her as an opponent than she ever did as a DS.

 

[Netserk]

Reusser to lose 2nd.

EDIT: Superb to be wrong so quick!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

This always used to work for her back in the day, and she didn't exactly demonstrate the widest variety of tactics during her stint in the team car. However, she was a lot more tactically astute back in the mid-2010s so I wonder what happened. I suspect it's a combination of SD Worx being so OP that they could just win on brute force and no longer being able to team with Marianne Vos, but it does feel like history repeating itself for sure.

To be fair, she is probably still working out what she can and can not do as a rider these days. Whether she can improve I can't say.

Of course it can't be ruled out that it's just practice for when she has to pull for Kopecky.

 

[Tim Cahill]

I know what will work, doing the same thing that didn't work 2 days ago

 

[Didinho]

Anna was a DS? And doesn’t know tactics.

Reusser with a superb end of the climb.

 

[JR1012]

I know what will work, doing the same thing that didn't work 2 days ago

So what should she do instead? Maybe thats now the race style for her now.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

To be fair, she is probably still working out what she can and can not do as a rider these days. Whether she can improve I can't say.

Of course it can't be ruled out that it's just practice for when she has to pull for Kopecky.

Well, it's not like Kopecky's gonna pull for her, and tempo riding up the big mountains while Kopecky grinds her way up Blockhaus to the podium like Búfalo 2006 will be just about what Lotte needs, if Anna can stomach it, after all she wanted to come back because she felt she could be stronger than Demi and Demi was winning big GCs, she screwed Demi over from the team car to facilitate it, and she's thus far been proven wrong, so it's not surprising that a few people may find enjoyment in the hubris.

 

[Tim Cahill]

So what should she do instead? Maybe thats now the race style for her now.

Look around, shrug her shoulders and wait for Vollering to attack, then do what she did, anything would be better than just handing her a perfect leadout.

 

[Didinho]

Labous 1” over NFB for her top 5.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

If Arkéa folds then it will be interesting to see what Cavallar can do at a team that can a) support her, b) tell her that she doesn't have to attack or go to the front every time the pace drops on a climb and c) teach her how to descend and how to zip a rain jacket.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

c) teach her how to descend and how to zip a rain jacket.

So ruling out all of Rooijakkers' past teams?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So ruling out all of Rooijakkers' past teams?

She could very well be a faster learner though.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

And of course they've given the super combativity award to Van der Breggen, because riders from smaller teams means nothing.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

And of course they've given the super combativity award to Van der Breggen, because riders from smaller teams means nothing.

Idunno, part of me feels like it's kinda funny after she just rode tempo the whole way or chased moves by non-threatening riders on the GC unnecessarily, then got dropped as soon as Vollering decided to attack and then likewise by Reusser. While obviously she has her stage win, that format impacted both main GC-settling stages, so it's almost like, giving her the super combativity to come up to the podium for as a consolation prize is almost worse than getting nothing. You know, a bit like how if somebody leaves an absolutely paltry tip in a restaurant it's somehow more insulting than not tipping at all?

 

[Lequack]

Vollering really has no competition in these GC multi stage race. Especially after Van Vleuten retired. At least now there is more team competition, compared to before when she was on SD Worx. Also I am mad that Eurosport on linear didn't cover the last two stage live, just a delayed recording.