The women's road racing thread 2015

[Tank Engine]

Re:

It was Pooley's last race of her career, and she'd been doing the majority of the work in the group, attacking to thin the group down for Armitstead, working to bring back other attacks and generally slaving away; she then was off the front at the start of the last lap with the group behind not working well, so Armitstead attacked on the hill and flew by her own teammate who'd done all the work to set her up without so much as looking at her, let alone trying to work together. In the end the chase was disorganized and Pooley was able to make it for silver, but Armitstead would have won the sprint of the group she was in eleven times out of ten, and at the time she ignored Pooley like a piece of spent trash on the road the gap she had was by no means enough to know a medal was secure.

Sure, Armitstead had spent so long being a bridesmaid in the major events that we weren't expecting a gift, and tactically there wasn't anything wrong with what she did, it was the best place in the circuit to make an attack, and she was strong enough to take it to the line which justifies her, but she could at least have acknowledged her teammate's existence, which left a bad taste for many and divided a lot of fans' opinions of the race. As I've said before, Lizzie has always had me ambivalent, there's this strange mix of sympathy because of how often she's been a bridesmaid before coupled with some frustration at the Leif Hoste/Cadel Evans-style blame cannon being fired. Mind you, I guess there isn't anything wrong with not liking losing.

I guess I give Armitstead the benefit of the doubt for tribal reasons (my mum's side of the family is from "just down the road") and because is a real racer. She also criticised the British team after the 2011 World Championships in Denmark for concentrating too much on Nicole Cooke's chances. The result
1. Bronzini
2. Vos
3. Teutenberg
4. Cooke
..
7. Armitstead

Did she really believe that she would have got a better place? It was already clear that she was a talented rider, but she acting like a young upstart (I'm even more tribal when it comes to Cooke )

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cooke again is a difficult one, because she has shown on more than a few occasions that her reputation for being hard to work with is not without its reasons, but at the same time British Cycling really screwed her over, and considering all the show and fuss about Team Sky at its launch, including the fact that on their launch website they tried to claim the credit for Nicole's gold medal by talking about the marginal gain of the skinsuit (I personally think skinsuits in road races should be a sanctionable offence, but that's another story)... at the same time as ignoring her while she begged cap in hand for money to stay in the sport because the team she'd signed for had been blown apart at the last minute thanks to a bunch of fly-by-night sponsors (Skyter Shipping, a Luxembourg luxury yacht firm, if you're interested). There was a whole team there, the former Nürnberger Versicherung team, which they could have picked up for peanuts and made a Team Sky women's team, with Nicole as leader, Amber Neben, Trixi Worrack and Charlotte Becker. They could have jettisoned some of the young Germans for young Britons (the kind they had backing Nicole in the national teams she was having to enter under because of this) and they'd have been more successful than the 2010 men's team (the team was kept afloat by the team owner and his son personally putting the money up, but as a result they couldn't afford the bigger names like Cooke and Neben).

And then BC had the temerity, a few years later, to start piggybacking the success and talking of setting up a women's team to complement Team Sky and capitalize on their success... at a point where Nicole had just retired and Emma Pooley had gone to a part time contract to finish her studies because it wasn't worth racing road full time anymore!!! That really wound me up in case you hadn't guessed from my tone here. Freddythefrog has mentioned this before, and suggested that the national team stuff in 2010 was basically just to keep Nicole on-side; she and British Cycling don't see eye to eye and Nicole is too outspoken for them to have wanted her to be part of anything, so despite not setting up a women's Team Sky in 2010 being a dreadful missed opportunity given the high profile of British women in the sport at that point (Cooke having just come off a year as Olympic and World champion, Pooley at her peak, Armitstead emerging, Laws still with some years left on the clock), the desire to set up later was very deliberate. Maybe it's conspiracy theory, maybe it's onto something. After all, ANC-Halfords more or less folded saying "mission accomplished" when she got the Olympic gold and from that point they dropped her like a bad habit, and British Cycling didn't seem to have much interest in helping Vision-1 either. But at the same time, they did race for her at Geelong and København, even to the point of annoying Armitstead, as you point out.

I think you could honestly make quite a convincing case for Pooley or Cooke as the most talented British cyclists to emerge in the last 15 years.

I also didn't mean to go on quite such a rant, and I'm certain that the above is a massive, massive oversimplification of events (and also makes BC out to be the sole bad guys in the operation, which is unfair when Cooke certainly played her own part in why they considered her difficult to work with).

 

[TMP402]

Thanks for the informative posts, Libertine.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re:

I personally think skinsuits in road races should be a sanctionable offence, but that's another story.

They should be banned totally and left to Cyclocross and Track racing. As should aero over-socks and aero road helmets (banned totally from all pro cycle sport.

 

[Jonhard]

Being Welsh I'd have to say it's Nicole

It is quite a sad story though, always tinged with bitterness. And cussedness.

Things are more hopeful now for women's cycling generally (surely?) But perhaps no thanks to BC.

 

[ray j willings]

Cooke was and still is my fav woman rider. Look at the age she retired at. What about her chucking the blood bags away. She's got balls.
Notice how she did not mention or send good luck to Lizzie [ LA some initials as Lance Armstrong]
Look how she was ambushed at the British Championships, She did not play the Sky /GB game. Wonder why ?
She has stood morally on her views with grace and dignity. Armistead "LA" could never achieve what Cooke has [ clean] and has no World or Olympic title to her name, yet his treated by the media like she his GB's greatest woman cyclist...LA f%%%%%% annoys me and the sooner her smug face has left cycling the better as far as I am concerned.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re: Re:

How many times can Emma come 2nd though?

Including GCs, TTTs and UCI-accredited National Event races, I count by CQ that in addition to her victories, Emma Johansson has 165 other podium placements in stages, GCs and one-day races (I didn't just count 2nds, sorry). That's insane.

 

[Jonhard]

Amy Pieters signs for Wiggle Honda for 2016.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think we now have a new victor in the "best all-rounder" category of all cycling... Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is, even if it's likely to be only for a couple of weeks, as Richmond is not the most favourable road course for her, a triple rainbow jersey holder.

2014 Road World Champion:

2015 Cyclo Cross World Champion:

and now, in Vallnoard, 2015 Mountain Bike World Champion:

The biggest problem here is for the French, who obviously love having a totally awesome world-beating cyclist, but her utter dominance and that she's so much better than all other French cyclists male or female does mean that they never get to see the national tricouleur jersey in any women's race since she holds all of those as well...

 

[BigMac]

Amazing.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

I think we now have a new victor in the "best all-rounder" category of all cycling... Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is, even if it's likely to be only for a couple of weeks, as Richmond is not the most favourable road course for her, a triple rainbow jersey holder.

2014 Road World Champion:

2015 Cyclo Cross World Champion:

and now, in Vallnoard, 2015 Mountain Bike World Champion:

The biggest problem here is for the French, who obviously love having a totally awesome world-beating cyclist, but her utter dominance and that she's so much better than all other French cyclists male or female does mean that they never get to see the national tricouleur jersey in any women's race since she holds all of those as well...

That's all right LS, that's all right. We don't mind the Rainbow She's truly amazing indeed. She'd be a much more popular athlete in France if it wasn't for the cold shower that JL put us through. Not the place to discuss this, so I just hint: too good to be true? I hope not.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Interesting to see Eurosport broadcasting a series of a women's cycling magazine show.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

The Ras na mBan is on at the moment in Ireland. It's a stage race that, like the men's Ras, functions as the centrepiece of the season for the Irish domestic riders. It also attracts some international teams and the occasional top pro. One of its many selling points is its setting, along some central portions of the Wild Atlantic Way. As the name implies, the scenery is spectacular and the wind is often insane. Tayler Wiles won last year's edition, as a guest rider for a domestic team.

Anyway, the race lead, after three stages, is held by stage two winner Emma Norsgaard-Jorgensen, a Danish rider with Team Rytger. The notable part is that Jorgensen is 16, and is a first year junior. She won her stage, and took the lead, with a long range sprint, going from 500m out. She then finished second in a bunch sprint in stage three. Chapeau!

 

[Jonhard]

So it's the Madrid challenge today. Just like La Course at the Vuelta, except there's no publicity and a third-rate field, with many riders already in Richmond for the TTT. Hmm.

It's on Eurosport.

 

[BigMac]

Go Cecchini.

 

[Jonhard]

She took the intermediates at least. Quite enjoyed the race actually - Olds in great nick for Richmond, winning here and in Norway.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

The Ras na mBan is on at the moment in Ireland. It's a stage race that, like the men's Ras, functions as the centrepiece of the season for the Irish domestic riders. It also attracts some international teams and the occasional top pro. One of its many selling points is its setting, along some central portions of the Wild Atlantic Way. As the name implies, the scenery is spectacular and the wind is often insane. Tayler Wiles won last year's edition, as a guest rider for a domestic team.

Anyway, the race lead, after three stages, is held by stage two winner Emma Norsgaard-Jorgensen, a Danish rider with Team Rytger. The notable part is that Jorgensen is 16, and is a first year junior. She won her stage, and took the lead, with a long range sprint, going from 500m out. She then finished second in a bunch sprint in stage three. Chapeau!

Actually got a bit of a question regarding Ras na mBan.
Julie Leth is riding for Team Rytger, even though her regular team is Hitec. Is that a normal thing that riders are allwed to do that?

 

[Jonhard]

Eileen Roe of Wiggle was riding for a Dutch team too. I don't know the rules but I think the race UCI classification comes into it.

 

[jmdirt]

WOOHOO Shelly Olds!

 

[Jonhard]

Lucy Garner joins Amy Pieters in moving to Wiggle Honda. Not a bad place to improve as a sprintser.

 

[Jonhard]

Wiggle Honda's Italians, Bronzini and Longo Borghini, renew for 2016.

They're bringing in Emma J, Amy Pieters and Lucy Garner at least... they have a big squad and a lot of them are part-time on the road, but you'd think some will have to be cut.

Rochelle Gilmour has spoken about the importance of GB riders to the team and sponsors, so I'm guessing Dani King and Amy Roberts will be kept to go with Garner. Of the other two, Anna Christian hasn't done much but is only just 20, and Eileen Roe hasn't either but has barely raced since breaking a knuckle in May.

LS said Audrey Cordon was rumoured to be going, but I hope not. She's been decent. Tough choices to be made, even allowing for Rio track programmes.

Edit - Emilia Fahlin will be elsewhere for 2016, team unknown.

 

[Jonhard]

Loved that WC road race... the two best riders all-round riders this year sprinting for it. I doubt you would get good odds on van der Breggen taking the stripes before she's finished.

Dani King has now renewed with Wiggle. If they intend to persist with the "international team with a strong British core" line, they probably need more than her and Lucy Garner... maybe they will re-sign Laura Trott for 2016 now that Matrix is downgrading itself? She wouldn't ride much on the road, and it could be awkward with D'Hoore on a similar program and her main rival for the omnium in Rio... but UK sponsors love Trotty. Still seems unlikely tbh. Most of the Wiggle-Honda line up is yet to be confirmed.

In other news, nippy Canadian Karol-Ann Canuel is joining Boels, which seems like a good move for all concerned.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re:

Loved that WC road race... the two best riders all-round riders this year sprinting for it. I doubt you would get good odds on van der Breggen taking the stripes before she's finished.

Dani King has now renewed with Wiggle. If they intend to persist with the "international team with a strong British core" line, they probably need more than her and Lucy Garner... maybe they will re-sign Laura Trott for 2016 now that Matrix is downgrading itself? She wouldn't ride much on the road, and it could be awkward with D'Hoore on a similar program and her main rival for the omnium in Rio... but UK sponsors love Trotty. Still seems unlikely tbh. Most of the Wiggle-Honda line up is yet to be confirmed.

In other news, nippy Canadian Karol-Ann Canuel is joining Boels, which seems like a good move for all concerned.

Trott and D'Hoore could be madison partners!

 

[Jonhard]

Re: Re:

Loved that WC road race... the two best riders all-round riders this year sprinting for it. I doubt you would get good odds on van der Breggen taking the stripes before she's finished.

Dani King has now renewed with Wiggle. If they intend to persist with the "international team with a strong British core" line, they probably need more than her and Lucy Garner... maybe they will re-sign Laura Trott for 2016 now that Matrix is downgrading itself? She wouldn't ride much on the road, and it could be awkward with D'Hoore on a similar program and her main rival for the omnium in Rio... but UK sponsors love Trotty. Still seems unlikely tbh. Most of the Wiggle-Honda line up is yet to be confirmed.

In other news, nippy Canadian Karol-Ann Canuel is joining Boels, which seems like a good move for all concerned.

Trott and D'Hoore could be madison partners!

Jolien could probably throw her clean across the track It's pure speculation but they'd get some coverage in Olympic year.

D'Hoore usually rides the track in Belgian colours in fact - she has a pro contract with the federation, which I guess dovetails with her Wiggle deal in some way (maybe only in 2016).

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

Actually got a bit of a question regarding Ras na mBan.
Julie Leth is riding for Team Rytger, even though her regular team is Hitec. Is that a normal thing that riders are allwed to do that?

Sorry about the delay in responding. It is certainly a frequent occurence at the Ras na Mban. It is too small a race for the biggest teams to take part in, but various pros want to ride it so they ride as "guests" with other teams. Tayler Wiles won it last year while riding for DID Electrical. At this level, the rules are flexible.