The Women's Road Racing Thread 2016

[Jonhard]

Wiggle are riding Dwars tomorrow, keen to find some cohesion on the road. Lotto Soudal and Hitec are also there from the bigger teams but not fielding stars like Emma J, Pieters, D'hoore and Bronzini.

Pajot Hills looks to be attracting a stronger field, although a number of teams will be absent. Vos is pencilled in to continue her comeback there.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The Giro Rosa parcours is out! Rather helpfully, given the often misleading official profiles, the stages have also been traced on cronoescalada giving us a chance to see them all in a format we're familiar with - these are here. The initial press notes a difficult route with Rio 2016 in mind. I think it's in the middle somewhere. Comparatively balanced but with the balance of power in favour of the climbers - which given the rest of the Women's World Tour's lack of races where a grimpeur can make real gains in points on the rouleurs and puncheurs of the world, is how it damn well should be - and a good spread of stages rather than the sometime issue of all the big stages at the end.

Supportive areas are still on the route, the area around Verbania (Longo Borghini territory) returns at the end of the race, but more pleasingly for her without the San Domenico di Varzo MTF, and also the San Fior area which has produced good racing in the last two editions (and is Cauz territory). The number of mountainous stages is comparatively few but these are likely to be the most decisive especially given the lack of a true up-and-down all day hilly stage along the lines of the Fermo stage from 2012 that enabled Vos and Pooley to put minutes into the field.

There are competing queen stages as the race continues the policy of using iconic Giro climbs that will enable us to get the fantastic spectacle of the women racing over some of the most hallowed passes in the sport. The first of these stages is Stage 5. This is the stage with the hardest climb of the race, which unfortunately as with 2014 and 2015 comes in a one-climb stage, and this time it isn't an MTF, instead cresting 34km from home, with 16km flat and then a technical descent to the line which will make it interesting as the likes of Abbott, who historically tends to only win MTFs and bleeds time on the flats and on the descents, are to be expected at the head of the field. The best news is that this one-climb stage uses one of the best single climbs it could... it's the FREAKING MORTIROLO!!! And not from an easier side like in 2011: from Mazzo!!! This stage will be a sufferfest, because even if the riders WANT to play safe, the gradients will see riders all over the road in suffering.

The following stage, Stage 6 (logicall), is what I'd call the queen stage though; the climbs aren't so iconic but there are four of them and they are all proper legit climbing. We move from Trofeo Laigueglia and Sanremo territory at the start to Giro dell'Appennino terrain at the end, via Passo Ginestro, Colle di Nava (considering some of the "cat.2" climbs early in the race, this only getting the same categorization is a bit strange, but ok) and Colle Caprauna before a 40km descent and flat, before the MTF at another famous Giro summit, the Santuario di Nostra Signora della Guardia. This is the only real MTF of the race (there is a HTF at Montenars on stage 2, however), but these two stages should form the centrepiece of the mountain duel in the race. There is then a 22km ITT on stage 7 which, like 2015's chrono which was won by Anna van der Breggen, features some up-and-down, with a high point nearly 300m above its low point but little in the way of steep stuff. There's then what is anticipated to be a transitional stage before the final day finish in Verbania, with a steepish climb to, and shallow descent from, the frazione of Beè.

The first half of the race is comparatively quiet, but there are opportunities to make time early. There is a typical 2km prologue (this kind of short length prologue is quite popular in women's races, minimizing organisational costs, being just enough to open gaps (unless you're Francesca Cauz or Mara Abbott, both of them lost about 30" in the 2km Ljubljana prologue in 2015!!!) and then a stage from Gaiarine to San Fior, but as it's so early in the race no sign of the climbs like La Crosetta (used in the superb 2014 Pooley stage) or even the medium-mountain Piai (used in the 2015 Guarnier stage with the break of 8), but there's still a nice little leg-burner on the outskirts of Vittorio Veneto and the rolling run-in the riders should be used to by now and tends to give us good racing; then there's the hilltop finish on stage 2 before two Po Valley flat stages.

P - Gaiarine - Gaiarine (2km) chrono
1 - Gaiarine - San Fior (104km) hilly stage
2 - Tarcento - Montenars (111km) hilly stage + HTF
3 - Montagnana - Lendinara (120km) flat stage
4 - Costa Volpino - Lovere (99km) flat stage
5 - Grosio - Tirano (78km) high mountain stage
6 - Andora - Santuario di Nostra Signora della Guardia (119km) high mountain stage + MTF
7 - Albisola Superiore - Varazze (21,9km) chrono
8 - Rescaldina - Legnano (99km) flat stage
9 - Verbania - Verbania (105km) intermediate stage

 

[Jonhard]

An interesting looking Giro Rosa route, although it’s a race that has never really got my pulse racing. Seems fanciful to hope for better TV coverage this year given how the WWT has worked so far, but you never know. The Tour clash doesn’t help it imo.

Dwars door Vlaanderen is on, as noted elsewhere in respect of the men’s race. The field is affected, with Hitec out and many teams rejigged and reduced. Parkhotel seemingly have named no riders despite being fairly nearby in NL – perhaps there is another reason for that. It would be a good race for them normally.

Amy Pieters probably the top pick but there are others with a chance. Kim de Baat has dropped out so maybe Maaike Polspoel for Lensworld. Kimberly Wells for the Aussie team. Roe or maybe van der Ree for Lares-Waow. Plus Lotto have options and Floortje rides in a Liv/Jonge Renner mixed team.

It may be a subdued race.

 

[Singer01]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/35883294

big pot of money for a womens race for a change, who said people from Yorkshire are tight?

 

[del1962]

Re:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/35883294

big pot of money for a womens race for a change, who said people from Yorkshire are tight?

Biggest prize in women's cycling, I think

 

[Jonhard]

Lizzie turned her nose up at Yorks last year, understandably given that it was a rather lame circuit race. Fair play for making it a proper day out this time.

In Belgium, Amy Pieters won Dwars again, with Jolien D’Hoore in second for a Wiggle 1-2. A reduced bunch made it to the finish after snaffling a strong break group in the last few kms.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yea, last year Yorkshire was a token race, a minimum-assistance-possible gesture of the kind ASO seem to like (La Course...) but this is far more like it. I wish they'd simply thrown the money for La Course into taking over the Route de France, but I suppose ASO don't like to do things by halves and if they couldn't make it equivalent to the Giro (and getting the money to turn this week race into a ten day legit women's GT probably costs plenty more than they spent) they probably weren't interested. I like the idea of alternating "west-east" and "north-south" routes so as to include the Massif Central and either the Vosges/Jura, Alps or Pyrenées in alternating years as well as the race's meat and drink, the hilly stages in the centre. Last year had a PDBF mountaintop finish so they can do stuff ASO likes! However the lack of a proper "confirmed" Women's TdF has led to a Champ Car/IRL situation where if thet Route and the Grand Boucle Féminin organisers could have worked together we could have had a legit second GT on the calendar. Same goes for if the Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon hadn't been so poorly planned out, because a women's Midi Libre type race would have been fantastic, like the old Tour de l'Aude but with more flexibility to use other climbing areas like Pyrenées-Orientales and the Cevennes.

Anyway, back to reality and today's WWT race, which is Gent-Wevelgem. The women's Gent-Wevelgem is a fast growing race (more appropriately Ieper-Wevelgem, but named as per the men's for association as with many of the other races on parts of the parcours on the day). This is only the 5th edition of the race, but it's rapidly increased in stature from national level event to the World Tour. That said, due to its association with the men's event and inclusion of obstacles such as the Kemmelberg in the RVV build-up it still got a very strong startlist and the winners list reflects this:

2012 podium: 1 Lizzie Armitstead 2 Iris Slappendel 3 Jessie Daams
2013 podium: 1 Kirsten Wild 2 Sanne van Paassen 3 Kelly Druyts
2014 podium: 1 Lauren Hall 2 Janneke Ensing 3 Vera Koedooder
2015 podium: 1 Floortje Mackaij 2 Janneke Ensing 3 Chloe Hosking

The race isn't as tough as the men's, including just five bergs, but this is after an exposed, echelon-baiting section. The weather obviously isn't expected to play ball to the extent of last year's race but this will likely mean hard, fast racing nonetheless. The riders climb the Kemmelberg twice and the Monteberg twice, with the Baneberg in between, the last obstacle coming, as with the men, a little over 30km from the end.

The startlist is at cyclingfever (the official site just notes the key starters). Liv obviously have the defending champion with upcoming all-rounder Floortje Mackaij, but Leah Kirchmann has also been in excellent form and can launch a strong sprint from a reduced group. Boels have the obvious candidate for the win, the currently undefeatable Lizzie Armitstead, who won the first edition of the race and relishes this kind of racing, especially with key WT overall rivals not in attendance. Literally everyone on that Boels team can win though - the race is perhaps too flat for Guarnier but she can sprint from a reduced group nonetheless, Blaak obviously podiumed Omloop and won Drenthe, van Dijk is a former Ronde winner and TT machine, while Majerus and Kasper are no scrubs with plenty on their palmarès to suggest they can play their part in continuing the Boels domination that this season has been thus far.

This is especially clear when you look at Rabo's team. They've looked at the parcours and decided there's simply no way this race is hilly enough for Anna VDB or Niewiadoma, PFP is taking time out and Vos isn't ready to return to the WT yet, so their main weapon will be Lucinda Brand. She's pretty ably backed up, especially with Koster and Knetemann, but with the stars absent they may struggle against Boels' strength in numbers. Wiggle are keen to put some bad weeks of racing behind them, in which they've shown well but missed the key moves; they have multiple options as well, with both Jolien d'Hoore and Amy Pieters - who won Dwars mid-week so has form for this kind of racing - as sprinting options, Elisa Longo Borghini (albeit coming off illness) if it gets broken up more, and eternal silver/bronze Emma Johansson who can be competitive under any given circumstances on this kind of parcours.

Orica's team is all Australian bar Annemiek; she is a strong time trial engine others won't want to let away but the race mightn't be tough enough for her. Gracie Elvin has been showing well in the Benelux races so far this season and is very attack-minded, so keep an eye on her. Lotto are without Lichtenberg, understandable given the parcours, but means they'll probably be banking on Daams or Zorzi making a key move. Hitec have Lauren Kitchen in good form but the race might not reduce the bunch enough for her, and Servetto-Footon make the race quite high up the startlist thanks to Jolanda Neff's spectacular performances at Strade Bianche and Trofeo Binda, but Italian hilly racing and Belgian waaijer racing are two different things so whether she can repeat is another question.

Alé can obviously compete with Marta Bastianelli who won Hageland, and Jasińska thus far this season appears to have developed a péloton allergy, while Cylance have too many strong names to be as far down the startlist as they are; with Olds in a sprint and Ratto and Scandolara for attack groups they've had a quiet start to the season that at some point no doubt they can build from. Canyon-SRAM are also miles down the startlist but only have five riders; Cromwell is a good bet for a placing, while Cecchini likes a reduced sprint and Lisa Brennauer is a real threat when in form. It's probably too easy for Amialiusik and Alexis Ryan will probably be sacrificed to working at this point. Cervélo-Bigla will probably be working to keep this together for Lotta Lepistö to compete in the sprint, I can't see Ash Moolman winning from this course. Tibco obviously have Lauren Tucker Hall, former winner of the race, while UHC have the strong trio of World TT champion Linda Villumsen, experienced hand Iris Slappendel and Coryn Rivera, who may be a little light for the cobbles, but is extremely quick. The most interesting small teams are Parkhotel Valkenburg, who have the in-form Jip van den Bos who's been racking up top 10s in Belgian races recently and storied Ukrainian Hanna Solovey (actually entering the races the team want her to, unlike last year), and BePink, who have the promising young rouleur Ilaria Sanguineti and Olympic bronze medalist Olga Zabelinskaya, returning from a presumed doping ban - this race shouldn't suit her and she hasn't been back long, but then Bastianelli is a completely different rider than the one she was when banned (or at least the one she and her handlers were trying to make her, almost to her destruction).

 

[PremierAndrew]

Who is the best female sprinter these days, if you just had a perfectly flat parcours?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'd usually say Jolien d'Hoore at this point, unless it gets up past 140km when Bronzini maybe comes back into it, she's very much the female Óscar Freire. Kirsten Wild still has immense top end power though.

At the moment we've had some wind, then Boels have put the hammer down on the Kemmelberg and the lead group is trimmed to around 25. This includes all six Boels riders, Johansson, Pieters, d'Hoore & Longo Borghini for Wiggle, Moolman-Pasio, Lepistö and Numaïnville for Cervélo, at least two Alé riders including Jasinska, Lucinda Brand for Rabo, Spratt & Elvin for Orica, Cecchini & Brennauer for Canyon, and a few other isolated riders for BePink, Lensworld and others yet to be identified.

Edit: Jolanda's in the group apparently. Nice of her to make herself immediately noticeable with the bright red Swiss champs kit and the, er, rather distinctive, hairstyle.

Looks like the group numbers 28 and they are gone from the rest. A quartet of Carmen Small, Emma Johansson, Ellen van Dijk and Annemiek van Vleuten are trying to build a gap - Small and van Vleuten hadn't previously been picked up in the group but obviously had been hiding within the group. Nobody letting that quartet away though.

A few more names in the 28 picked up online - Plichta, Confalonieri, Zabelinskaya, Walle. Oh, and Solovey.

Zabelinskaya attacks on the Kemmelberg!

Hitec and Cylance leading the chase, but they have Rabo as anchors, since they seem to be trusting Brand on her own up front. Compared to Boels and Wiggle in the front group however, I don't see them pulling this move back. Emma J goes on the Kemmelberg the second time, and pulls Olga back, although she can't get a significant gap on the bunch.

7 riders now pulling out a small gap, trying to get the names from twitter. Confalonieri, d'Hoore, Spratt confirmed. Expect there must be a Boels rider if they're to have any chance of making it, given their numbers in the group, and possibly Cervélo too... well, seems that it's academic now as they've been pulled back.

Quite a few being tailed off the lead group now, Wiggle have lost one of their women in the front group. Small, Numaïnville, d'Hoore, Spratt, Elvin, Confalonieri and Majerus the confirmed to have gone. Which links up to those who tried to get away earlier I think, suggests either they blew up trying to get away or they tried to get away because they couldn't back themselves in the run-in.

Now we're having reported that four riders have attacked but nobody saying who they are. This is that horrible time of any women's cycling race where you KNOW interesting stuff is happening, because people within the race are too busy to report on it. So there's a quartet which may or may not have been caught again, the rest of the group, the group of eight with d'Hoore at +30" and the péloton at +1'02". Karl Lima (Hitec DS) tweets that the radio has been knocked out.

Four leaders trying to get away: Ellen van Dijk, Carmen Small, Emma Johansson, Annemiek van Vleuten. Same quartet as earlier. Now Armitstead trying to get away as well with 21km to go. The group is back together now, the group is a bit too large for Lizzie to get away from just yet. Lizzie has tried twice now but no success, now Blaak attacks and has Annemiek, Emma J and Lisa Brennauer chasing. This has blown the race up, we now have Blaak, the trio just behind, and another chase group of six in front of the remains of the blown up group. The chasing groups are now together, and Blaak has eight seconds on the nine.

Heavy tailwind in the run-in, 14km to go for Chantal Blaak now. All Boels all the time this season. Her gap is increasing into the final 10k as her teammates are breaking up and disorganizing the chase. With d'Hoore having been dropped Wiggle are in two minds, as well as having less firepower left. I don't know if Lotta has been dropped too, because if not you might see Cervélo chasing more aggressively too. Blaak's gap is getting bigger, up to 45" now. Boels are going 4/4, two with Lizzie and two with Chantal. The heart has gone out of the chase and now it looks like the WT points are all that it's going to be about. I think this probably means a 1-2 for Boels (they're making a habit of that) with probably Lizzie 2nd since she's had to do no work for the last 20km but the group has probably cut down the purer sprinters that could beat her in a straight head-to-head.

Indeed, Chantal Blaak wins Gent-Wevelgem solo! Nobody seems to want to report on any of the results beyond the winner... even given that the Volta a Catalunya is finishing at the same time, this is quite frustrating, no idea who was 2nd or 3rd even several minutes after the finish...

Edit: finally a provisional podium!
1 Chantal Blaak (Boels-Dolmans) NED
2 Lisa Brennauer (Canyon-SRAM) GER
3 Lucinda Brand (Rabo-Liv) NED

Peter van der Veen has been able to fill in the gaps so we can now complete the picture.
4 Amy Pieters (Wiggle-High 5) NED
5 Carmen Small (Cervélo-Bigla) USA
6 Annemiek van Vleuten (Orica-GreenEdge) NED
7 Leah Kirchmann (Liv-Plantur) CAN
8 Ellen van Dijk (Boels-Dolmans) NED
9 Emma Johansson (Wiggle-High 5) SWE
10 Romy Kasper (Boels-Dolmans) GER
11 Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) USA
12 Elena Cecchini (Canyon-SRAM) ITA
13 Jolanda Neff (Servetto-Footon) SUI
14 Sarah Roy (Orica-GreenEdge) AUS
15 Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle-High 5) ITA
16 Olga Zabelinskaya (BePink-La Classica) RUS
17 Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) GBR
18 Jolien d'Hoore (Wiggle-High 5) BEL
19 Gracie Elvin (Orica-GreenEdge) AUS
20 Lotta Lepistö (Cervélo-Bigla) FIN

Armitstead not being in the chasing 9 means that she cedes the WT leader's jersey to Blaak as a result of the DNF in Drenthe.

 

[Califootman]

And Boels rolls on... they're having quite the start to the season.

Armistead is probably happy to no longer worry about covering up the world champion's jersey with the WWT leader's jersey. Even better that she gets to hand it to a teammate.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Highlights

Lizzie chose to wear the rainbow jersey today, so not sure what the regulations are on the leader's one. Didn't see her at Drenthe because she DNFed early and Anna VDB wore it in Binda.

We get interviews with Mackaij, van Dijk and Armitstead pre-race, and Blaak, Brennauer and van Vleuten afterward. It looks like Johansson was the main aggressor in the climbs, but with Boels having such strength in numbers in the group, once they were finished with, they took full control of the race. We see the two climbs of the Kemmelberg (Annemiek complained tongue-in-cheek on social media about them choosing to shoot only the parts where she was struggling) and some clips of the run-in.

I'm a little confused by the youth classification too, both Niewiadoma and Mackaij have 12 points but Floortje has the jersey. It can't be on countback as Kasia has better placements, and it can't be on overall standings as Kasia's in the top 10 of those, but the fact she DNSed two races may play a role as Mackaij has entered more races. With 6 points for the best placed U23 in each race, it's been entirely predictable - Kasia's got max points from the two hilly races, and Floortje's got max points from the two rouleur races. I honestly can't see that classification going to anybody but those two.

 

[Jonhard]

Looking forward to watching a bit of Flanders on my actual telly this weekend!

Boels still ever so strong but I think Wiggle and Rabo will be closer at the Ronde. Wiggle are getting better (D'Hoore and ELB's form on the up) and Rabo appear to be fielding a stronger team for this one, and must start improving their results soon surely.

Wiggle have had 8 girls riding the course this week... the extra recons made a difference for them last year. Not many women's squad's will spend the money.

 

[BalearicBeats]

Vos already back to winning form apparently

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Same prize money for Women as Men in the Ridelondon Classique:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/equal-prize-money-mens-womens-ridelondon-classics-218843

The event director:

“We believe in equality in sport,”

Then give the Women a proper classic going down into Surrey if they believe in equality.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hahaha my sentiments exactly! It's improved on being actually a crit (the presence of a crit in the WT just seems odd), but it's now just another version of La Course by Le Tour and La Corsa by La Vuelta; a small, flat short circuit race with no real platform for attackers (yes, I know Anna van der Breggen did a Vino at La Course last year but that was in awful weather). The women's RR at the Olympics was a really good race despite only two ascents of Box Hill compared to the men's several, why wouldn't you want to recapture that?

Great that they have the prize money, but I'm seeing quite a few people connected to women's cycling saying they'd prefer to have a tougher parcours even if it sacrifices some of the prize pot so that there are more people competing for it. Certainly having the prize money is a key reason for riders to come (assuming they have interest in repeated short flat circuit racing, which many top level riders wouldn't much the same as you wouldn't expect Contador to turn up to the Qatar Worlds) but the Tour de Yorkshire with a still substantial but smaller prize pot looks like something riders would be much more keen to put on the palmarès.

 

[Jonhard]

Armitstead's comment on the Tour de Yorks was along those lines: prize money is irrelevant, I’m here because it’s a proper race this year.

And for Ride London it’s hard to see why they can’t run a decent parcours. The roads are closed already.

That said, the prize money increase means more to women’s teams than men’s, and it does create a bit of extra buzz. They could even include a few smaller paths, maybe through one of the parks, to spice up an essentially lame circuit.

I wonder if Rabo will draft in Vos for Flanders? She’s not in the provisional list but obviously had some form and speed to win Pajot Hills.

 

[postmanhat]

Flanders is being livestreamed apparently, non-georestricted from 1345-1515. Jose Been and Rochele Gilmore commentating.

http://www.proximustv.be/nl/wielrennen

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

Flanders is being livestreamed apparently, non-georestricted from 1345-1515. Jose Been and Rochele Gilmore commentating.

http://www.proximustv.be/nl/wielrennen

Thanks, good news. I've never got to watch the women's RVV before.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Don't think any of us have been able to watch it live before, so pretty exciting that we can. Also Rochelle and Jose know the péloton well so we shouldn't have the awkwardness we've sometimes had in the past (Phil Liggett trying to pronounce "Eneritz Iturriagaetxebarría" was a favourite, although Carlton Kirby at the Worlds ITT describing Ellen van Dijk as "not a pure time triallist" also raised eyebrows).

Elisa is the defending champion, but her prep has been suboptimal. Nevertheless, she has shown signs she's getting back to strength, making the selection at Gent-Wevelgem, and de Ronde suits her much better than that, with more climbs and a shorter run-in. Wiggle's team is super-strong as you might expect; d'Hoore and Pieters for if it comes to a group (both can get over some obstacles but I think today will have too many for them, Jolien at least) and Emma Johansson can make any elite selection as we well know. But realistically, this season has been all about Boels-Dolmans thus far as they've won every major race to date in the European season, Blaak taking Drenthe and Gent-Wevelgem and Armitstead taking Omloop, Strade Bianchi and Binda. This would seem more for Lizzie than Chantal, but after they put their entire team in the selection last week, their strength is pretty ominous - Majerus is useful in a hilly race and an excellent helper, Stevens is the current hour record holder as well as a strong climber, Guarnier is a real threat and Ellen van Dijk is of course a fairly recent winner of this race - she is still riding herself into form on the road, but her time trial strength makes her too dangerous to allow any rope to. The other superteam is of course Rabo, whose team is also extremely strong; their nominal leader is Lucinda Brand, who was the only one of the team to make the selection in Gent-Wevelgem (although she did then make the podium), but with Anna van der Breggen on hand they can make any key moves. Thalita de Jong and Anouska Koster are realistically going to be the workers, and the other two are wildcards, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot whose road calendar has been limited but who has the skillset for this, just her form is unknown, and Kasia Niewiadoma whose climbing is her strength but who podiumed Strade Bianche and rested up for the flatter races so will be relatively fresh.

Canyon's biggest threat is probably Lisa Brennauer; she's a superb time trial engine and she can sprint extremely well from a small group; Amialiusik would typically be useful on this kind of circuit but the cobbles may work against her. Cromwell should be able to make most selections as well, and Cecchini is good from a reduced group if she can make it. Cervélo-Bigla I'm not sure about for this race; it's probably not sustained-climby enough for Moolman-Pasio and probably too selective for Lepistö, but Carmen Small was very aggressive over the last couple of weeks (edit: after I wrote this it was confirmed Carmen is sick and won't take the start). Annemiek is Orica's main threat, the problem for them is that while the likes of Spratt and Elvin are good support, they may find it harder to get away as wildcard options than some of the superteams' second and third bullets. Hitec will probably hope for something from Lauren Kitchen, who has been going well but missed the key move last week, since this isn't Kirsten Wild territory. Cylance have had a quiet season so far and only have five riders in the race; my hope therefore is that Rossella Ratto rediscovers some of her form and starts going bonkers to mess things up for the big teams, she was such a great rider a couple of years ago. For Liv, Leah Kirchmann's early season form seems to be starting to wane but she was superb in Strade Bianche and has a good finish, while Floortje Mackaij is a future superstar in this kind of race (plus it will be interesting to see the battle between her and Niewiadoma for the U23 WT jersey, since this is the first time they've directly faced off, Kasia only doing the hilly Italian races thus far and Floortje only doing the Benelux rouleur races). I'm wondering after her dramatic reintroduction last week how Zabelinskaya will be feeling - she was aggressive in a race that shouldn't suit her on her first day back last week, this should be more her thing, but BePink are comparatively small and I'd expect her to be isolated once a selection is made. Finally, Alé will probably be quite visible (not that they can't be in those jerseys) with Jasinska typically aggressive at least; they'll want to eliminate Marta from contention as well as she's dangerous in a sprint.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Thalita de Jong attacks on Paddestraat, Iris Slappendel following.

Thalita now has about 30" on the bunch, Slappendel back in it. About 55km to go and we're about to hit the Leberg-Berendries-Valkenberg triple. Then there's the respite sector before Kaperij, where the race really starts to get going.

They've brought her back now, but yay, we're live

Anouska Koster attacks now at 40 to go, meaning Rabo are using their less experienced/less victory-likely candidates as carrots to make the other big teams chase. Jasinska countering, but she can't get to Koster before being brought back. Audrey Cordon now trying to ride across to the Dutchwoman to give Wiggle the chance to sit up in the chase as well. Orica gunning the pace in the bunch. Cordon brought back but Koster still away, Boels have come to the front now so suggests she's on a leash.

Kanarienberg, and as Koster struggles, PFP now comes to the front as soon as her teammate is brought back. Really stringing the bunch out now and a lot of riders being dropped but all the big names seemingly still there.

OK, a group of around 10 just after Kanarienberg, the pace seems to have been stronger than thought. PFP's there, Emma J, Amialiusik, van Dijk, Niewiadoma, Brennauer, Longo Borghini, Elvin, Armitstead and Annemiek.

Strong selection, which I think Rabo will be happy with (PFP & Kasia), Wiggle too (Emma J & ELB), Boels (van Dijk & Lizzie), Canyon (Brennauer & Amialiusik) and Orica (Annemiek & Elvin) - 2 from each. Will be left to some of the weaker teams to chase so could be interesting as I think each of those teams will be happy to back the riders they have in the break.

The group is also splintering with 3 riders dropping. Van Dijk, PFP and Niewiadoma doing the work at the front; Rabo clearly have a plan (until we work out who the 3 dropped are it's hard to tell, but it's definitely not Armitstead as I can see the rainbow stripes in the group, and it's also definitely not Johansson). The septet's advantage is now 17". Peter van der Veen has apparently spotted Änna Zita Maria Stricker in the front group, which suggests there was either mis-identification earlier or she was missed from the list hiding at the back of it.

Either way it's academic now as Alé and Cervélo have neutralized the move and they've sat up. I'm kind of surprised, I thought with all the big teams being happy to sit on that move would have gone but it seemed like a lack of cohesion; Rabo didn't want to do all the work and with only van Dijk to help them make pace they didn't want to give Lizzie and the others a free ride (understandably).

Guarnier and Niewiadoma leading on Kruisberg. However, I think they've underestimated the demand for this stream as it keeps overloading and being knocked out.

Guarnier attacks - same spot where van Dijk went in 2014 and ELB last year to take the win! She's not going to be allowed away on her own though, the bunch has learnt that trick it seems - Emma J has gone with her! Rabo chasing... chase group: Brennauer, PFP, Lichtenberg, Daams, Kelly Druyts (one of the three sisters), Niewiadoma, Anna VDB, Amialiusik, Armitstead, Kirchmann, Uttrup, Lepistö, van Dijk, Pieters, ELB, Blaak, Elvin...

The latter 3 now attack and lead the race, Anna VDB riding across to them. Lots of attacks being pulled back, we now have a group of about 20-25 riders, many permutations trying to get away, the inconsistency of the stream is destroying my nerves!

Blaak attacks, trying to repeat her trick from Gent-Wevelgem, but the group she's escaping from is bigger this time... they won't let her go. 25 riders together ahead of Oude Kwaremont... Rabo spamming the front of the road, Anna VDB leading Kasia leading PFP, Guarnier pushing up on the right hand side, she's looking keen; Armitstead has been very quiet so far but every time a selection has been made she's been in it and with Rabo having done a lot of work and Boels having strong secondary and tertiary challengers, she's been able to save energy, and she now emerges third wheel on Oude Kwaremont behind PFP & Kasia. Now ELB to the front, Armitstead hops on her wheel. She's racing smart. As is Lichtenberg, who's barely been seen all day, has been isolated since about 60k to go and now emerges fourth wheel behind ELB, Lizzie and PFP.

10-woman selection made! ELB, Armitstead, PFP, Niewiadoma, Lichtenberg, Johansson, Ratto, van Dijk and Guarnier along with an as yet unidentified Orica rider. Van der Veen suspects Sarah Roy, as van Vleuten has apparently been dropped. Attack from van Dijk after the climb is over... Johansson now attacks, Armitstead responds! They're both working, they have 13 seconds and everybody looking at the Rabo girls to chase as they have the advantage of numbers in the group (level with Boels, but Boels have Armitstead up the road of course).

Paterberg!!!

Van Dijk front of the chasers (?!) with Niewiadoma behind. Lichtenberg now gets on the front and she is tearing the duo back! Phenomenal day from the German climber! Lizzie's having none of it though, and she adds another batch of pace that makes Johansson suffer to follow!

There are a couple of others who are chasing onto the chasers (!) on the descent, it now seems like a group of 12 is 15" behind our lead duo, with Armitstead pressuring the descent. Chasers down to 7, split down the middle, can't see what happened to cause it. Niewiadoma and Lichtenberg chasing, which doesn't augur well for the group, they're both climbers and there are no climbs left...

Yea, this'll be a two up sprint. And history tells us Emma J will lose this because she has the biggest collection of 2nds and 3rds in cycling history. Damn. 8 chasers - PFP and Kasia for Rabo, Lichtenberg for Lotto on her own, Guarnier, van Dijk and Blaak for Boels, Annemiek for Orica and ELB for Wiggle - so 4 that aren't going to work out of 8.

Bridie O'Donnell on twitter:
EJ: how you feeling? (Hiding shortness of breath) Lizzie: (breathing through her nose) yeah alright. You? EJ: yeah alright

Hmmm.

Chasers now at 18", the remainder at 48" so unless they really play games this is a two-up. Johansson starting to hold back on her turns now. Armitstead is not being fooled and is joining in. The gap is starting to come down, just 9" at 1500m to go... Emma J is gambling, gambling hard sitting in in the last kilometre...

ARMITSTEAD TAKES IT IN THE PHOTO FINISH.

Provisional:
1 Lizzie Armitstead (Boels)
2 Emma Johansson (Wiggle)
3 Chantal Blaak (Boels)
4 Megan Guarnier (Boels)
5 Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle)
6 Ellen van Dijk (Boels)

Just total domination as they had the chance to sit on while PFP and Kasia were killing themselves in the chase especially once the duo were so close, but had nothing left for the finish.

 

[Jonhard]

Boels again. That’s Lizzie’s early season goal done – would not be surprising if her form eased off a touch in the next month or two. She is scheduled to ride the Bira (starting 13 April) and Yorks on 30 April. Fleche Wallonne in between may be better suited to Guarnier/Stevens. Blaak leads for the Energiewacht tour starting Wednesday.

Wiggle missed having D’Hoore (like last year) or Pieters in the first group, a sprint threat that would have allowed Emma to sit on and wait for a sprint or possibly mug Lizzie. Other than that Wiggle rode it as well as they could really, and it was as close as anyone has come to beating Boels in a WT race. Bronzini took GP Dottignies yesterday for them too, no Boels or Rabo in the field but still a nice win.

Not sure what the problem at Rabo is but I suppose they have a plan. They took the top four places in a minor race in Oploo, NL at the weekend… not surprising when you have Vos, Gillow, Knetemann.

I think Energiewacht was live streamed in 2015 but I haven’t seen much about it so far this year.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Good to see someone challenging Boels at the finish line.

Why does Johansson use Shimano Di2 while the rest of the team use the sponsors gears (Campag EPS)?

 

[Jonhard]

Re:

Good to see someone challenging Boels at the finish line.

Why does Johansson use Shimano Di2 while the rest of the team use the sponsors gears (Campag EPS)?

I hadn't noticed, but I guess Emma gets to do what she wants mostly.

I was surprised she got that close to Lizzie in the sprint... judging by the race and comments afterwards, she knew it wasn't the ideal position for Wiggle, but it was right to work with Lizzie imo. Blaak would've taken the sprint if EJ and LA had been caught by that group.

Energiewacht Tour starts with a TTT in Groningen tomorrow. Sadly it seems not to be live streamed this year, unlike 2015. Decent line up for a 2.2 race.

 

[damian13ster]

http://rowery.org/2016/04/04/trasa-tour-de-pologne-women-2016/

Route for tour de pologne. Google translate required. It will be interesting race. Route looks like it was designed by Niewiadoma

 

[Libertine Seguros]

When they moved the Tour de Pologne to follow on from the men's so they'd be in the south of the country, and between the Giro and Olympics, I did think that the fact that there's a young Polish climbing talent who will be looking at something close to peak form and is from close by to the area maybe played into the decision. The route selected only reinforces that perception. It's a ridiculously unbalanced route, of course, two hilly stages and an uphill TT - proper Emakumeen Bira terrain, only in País Vasco that's almost out of necessity; this is certainly a stylistic choice. But then, I've been complaining at the lack of real climbers' races on the calendar given the relatively samey characteristics of the non-World Cup races added to the WT (a lot of semi-crits, for example) and this is pretty clearly a climber's race. And if it gives us racing anything like the 2015 Emakumeen Bira then it could be a lot of fun.