The Lesser Known Women's Road Racing Thread 2023

[Samu Cuenca]

I don't know why (well I do) but I can't help but think looking at stage 1's results "ooh-ee-ooh, I look just like Buddy Holly / oh oh, and you're Mari Hole Mohr / I don't care what they say about us anyway / I don't care 'bout that"

If she had won today, I might have dubbed this "The Mari Hole Mohr Show", so I understand your thinking.

They made it through that corner yesterday with no issues, but the wet roads made it more difficult today.

 

[Dk one]

17 year old Solbjork Minke doing good in Uppsala, probably the biggest Danish junior talent right now, hope she moves on to a senior team next season.

 

[RedheadDane]

Stage 3 of Uppsala is on. Not much happening,
There was a random (male) UAE rider* riding on the bike lane next to the peloton for a while.

*Probably just a guy in UAE kit.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Stage 3 of Uppsala is on. Not much happening,
There was a random (male) UAE rider* riding on the bike lane next to the peloton for a while.

*Probably just a guy in UAE kit.

Did he look like a rouleur? I've heard they could use some of those.

 

[RedheadDane]

Did he look like a rouleur? I've heard they could use some of those.

Didn't notice.

Eklund won both the stage and the GC.

 

[RedheadDane]

They're racing in the Pyrenees. 20 Ks to go, maybe... no clue how much time the break has.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I don't understand the km graphics. They're supposed to ride 77 km, and not even if you add the TTT do you get 130 km.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't understand the km graphics. They're supposed to ride 77 km, and not even if you add the TTT do you get 130 km.

To be fair, the commentators don't understand it either...

 

[RedheadDane]

Doebel-Hickok won the stage after a late attack.

1		DOEBEL-HICKOK Krista	EF Education-TIBCO-SVB	16​	01:56:20​
2		BAUERNFEIND Ricarda	CANYON//SRAM Generation	12​	+ 05​
3		DEMAY Coralie	St Michel-Auber 93	8​	+ 15​
4		MARTURANO Greta	Top Girls Fassa Bortolo	6​	+ 15​
5		YONAMINE Eri	Human Powered Health	5​	+ 15​
6		BACKSTEDT Zoe	EF Education-TIBCO-SVB	4​	+ 04:25​
7		ZANARDI Silvia	BePink	3​	+ 04:25​
8		DOCX Mieke	Lotto Soudal Ladies	2​	+ 04:25​
9		POMPANON Margot	St Michel-Auber 93	​	+ 04:25​
10		POWLESS Shayna	USA	​	+ 04:25​

Peloton crossed the finish line for the first time (small around 2-K lap) mere seconds after the trio. So, yeah... could've been a mess.

 

[yaco]

Yet another strange result in a puzzling week in the peleton - How do you allow Doebel-Hickok into the break after EF won the TTT by 56 seconds and when you consider she 's one of the best two or three climbers it's madness - And they gave her a mere four minutes.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yet another strange result in a puzzling week in the peleton - How do you allow Doebel-Hickok into the break after EF won the TTT by 56 seconds and when you consider she 's one of the best two or three climbers it's madness - And they gave her a mere four minutes.

Who could actually have brought them back?

EF and HPH were didsrupting the chase, and both the US national team and Arkéa had a rider up there initially. Massi - Tactic with Špela Kern and Bizkaia Durango with Aileen Schweikart are probably the biggest losers, but they could still feature in the top 5 after tomorrow's stage.

 

[postmanhat]

Decent Pro debut for Zoe Backstedt. TTT first, and then winning the 'bunch sprint'. Anyone know why she chose EF when she could have had her pick of teams?

 

[RedheadDane]

Decent Pro debut for Zoe Backstedt. TTT first, and then winning the 'bunch sprint'. Anyone know why she chose EF when she could have had her pick of teams?

She had her pick of teams, and picked EF?

 

[postmanhat]

She had her pick of teams, and picked EF?

Well I'm assuming so. Junior World Champion in road and cyclo-cross. There haven't been too many of them.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Well I'm assuming so. Junior World Champion in road and cyclo-cross. There haven't been too many of them.

I think EF can be a good fit for someone who's still learning the ropes. They've had success with similar deals before (Faulkner and Ewers etc.), but Bäckstedt is of course not someone who's not yet sure if cycling is her thing. Still there isn't a lot of pressure on her, and it shouldn't be a problem for her to get a contract elsewhere from next season on.

With their new CX team being formed, she might also be staying with them for longer than the next few months.

 

[postmanhat]

I think EF can be a good fit for someone who's still learning the ropes. They've had success with similar deals before (Faulkner and Ewers etc.), but Bäckstedt is of course not someone who's not yet sure if cycling is her thing. Still there isn't a lot of pressure on her, and it shouldn't be a problem for her to get a contract elsewhere from next season on.

With their new CX team being formed, she might also be staying with them for longer than the next few months.

Thanks Didn't realise it was effectively as a stagaire.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well I'm assuming so. Junior World Champion in road and cyclo-cross. There haven't been too many of them.

I guess I didn't express myself clearly.
Why would her having her pick of teams make her choice of EF strange?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I guess I didn't express myself clearly.
Why would her having her pick of teams make her choice of EF strange?

Because EF-TICO-SVB is not exactly right at the top of the pyramid.

If a very promising Danish male rider signed for Cofidis, even just as a stagaire, you'd probably also be a bit surprised.

 

[RedheadDane]

If a very promising Danish male rider signed for Cofidis, even just as a stagaire, you'd probably also be a bit surprised.

Didn't see it coming, but I don't feel the need to question his choice.
Just like I don't feel the need to question Zoe's choice.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Didn't see it coming, but I don't feel the need to question his choice.
Just like I don't feel the need to question Zoe's choice.

Well I don't think postmanhat was criticising it, but rather just wanted to know more about the decision. And since he also thought it was a long term deal, I can definitely understand that.

 

[yaco]

Who could actually have brought them back?

EF and HPH were didsrupting the chase, and both the US national team and Arkéa had a rider up there initially. Massi - Tactic with Špela Kern and Bizkaia Durango with Aileen Schweikart are probably the biggest losers, but they could still feature in the top 5 after tomorrow's stage.

You don't allow a rider from the yellow jersey team into the break, especially one of the best climbers after that team took 56 seconds in the TTT- It's stupid racing.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well I don't think postmanhat was criticising it, but rather just wanted to know more about the decision. And since he also thought it was a long term deal, I can definitely understand that.

I didn't mean questioning it in a criticising it sense of the word. I just... generally don't feel the need to know why a rider has made a specific transfer decision (or, as in this case, a maybe transfer decision).

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Trek were in difficulties after losing Lauretta Hanson due to a mechanical, but Van Dijk led them through to retain the title in Vårgårda.

Doebel-Hickok was once again the strongest in France after impressive domestique work by Emma Langley. Bauernfeind almost managed to stay on until the line.

 

[yaco]

Doebel-Hickok was a class above - Bauernfeind is an interesting prospect who has climbing potential - I want to see if she can back it up tomorrow which is a similar stage.

 

[Wyndbrook]

I guess I didn't express myself clearly.
Why would her having her pick of teams make her choice of EF strange?

I believe it was not her original first choice, but was she convinced to join by team manager Linda Jackson following lengthy discussions
Also DS Rachel Heal is English and probably known to her mother, plus cyclo cross support.