The Women's Road Racing Thread 2016

[TMP402]

Re:

70km/h in cobbles = bottles flying all over...

Well, more to the point, the officially provided bottles don't fit.

 

[damian13ster]

Re:

Loving the lack of Race Radio. Emma drives on just as Lizzie has mechanical. Lol!

Thats the problem with lack of race radios. Then it is no longer a team sport. I like smaller teams. I dont like lack of radio

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ash is all alone now, though she may enlist Lepistö as a helper of sorts.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Would Van der Breggen be expected to win in a two-up sprint vs Armitstead, or does she need to arrive solo?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

Would Van der Breggen be expected to win in a two-up sprint vs Armitstead, or does she need to arrive solo?

You can count the number of people I would expect Anna van der Breggen to beat in a sprint on one hand. She's been in an informal battle for the last few years with Claudia Lichtenberg about who is the worst in a sprint from a group.

Lepistö, Harris and PFP dropping on the climb, surprising in some cases. They'll make contact again, but could be a problem.

Plichta, van Dijk and Bronzini, interesting move. Obviously absolves Poland, Italy AND the Netherlands from chasing, and with Harris needing to chase back on that will cause some problems for the UK. USA probably have the responsibility along with Germany and Australia.

 

[Netserk]

Nice, very nice trio

 

[spalco]

Only 68 starters - is this normal?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ooh, Worrack attacking, that was... unexpec... ok it was absolutely expected. But still, now Germany absolved from chasing as well, this is good for them, she's definitely the best climber of that quartet too and a strong contre-le-montre engine, very wily. With her and van Dijk, bringing them back will not be easy, especially as you're now likely to see the likes of Annemiek and Lisa Brennauer messing with the chase. Cecchini is also very smart in respect of that.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

Only 68 starters - is this normal?

Not at all, and it's a major feature of the Olympic road race, same as with the men, the reduced péloton and team size. Even the Dutch only have 4.

 

[Netserk]

So who will chase now? GB (France)?

 

[Andy262]

Re: Re:

Loving the lack of Race Radio. Emma drives on just as Lizzie has mechanical. Lol!

Thats the problem with lack of race radios. Then it is no longer a team sport. I like smaller teams. I dont like lack of radio

This is the Olympics though. It shouldn't really be treated as a team sport here in my view.

 

[spalco]

I suppose most of the race is fairly sheltered from the wind, but to me the conditions look even tougher than yesterday.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

So who will chase now? GB (France)?

I think they're trying to make GB chase. Harris got distanced on the climb, Pooley doesn't like the cobbles, so the hope is that Lizzie is going to get isolated early. Sweden may want to try, but don't have the firepower I don't think (Fahlin is good, but not sure this terrain suits her). If PFP was dropped legitimately on the hill and it wasn't a mechanical, France won't lift a finger.

This move isn't likely to be decisive simply because if Garfoot gets across they'll be less cohesive I think, as she's quite a good climber. If she doesn't, Australia will probably have to take responsibility for the chase.

 

[Netserk]

And they're back (edit: well, almost). Only Pooley chased?

Edit: and now they are gone again.

Australia and Pooley attack

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

Would Van der Breggen be expected to win in a two-up sprint vs Armitstead, or does she need to arrive solo?

You can count the number of people I would expect Anna van der Breggen to beat in a sprint on one hand. She's been in an informal battle for the last few years with Claudia Lichtenberg about who is the worst in a sprint from a group.

Lepistö, Harris and PFP dropping on the climb, surprising in some cases. They'll make contact again, but could be a problem.

Plichta, van Dijk and Bronzini, interesting move. Obviously absolves Poland, Italy AND the Netherlands from chasing, and with Harris needing to chase back on that will cause some problems for the UK. USA probably have the responsibility along with Germany and Australia.

Thanks

 

[TMP402]

Pooley should attack.

 

[Netserk]

The Dutch not happy with the situation? edit: Ah, just closed them down.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This now makes it interesting because NED, AUS, USA, GER, GBR, ITA all have riders up the road. Elvin clearly playing monitor but assume for Spratt? Hearing that Garfoot has abandoned after not making it across to the Bronzini group. Cordon chasing them down.

Edit: if I was the Dutch of course I wouldn't be happy, no way is van Dijk going to beat the Pooleys of this world on the final climb.

Lol, now Nikki Harris on the front of the bunch, don't tell me they're going to kill their own team's move in a race where they've got the best climber up the road. The Dutch monitoring everything for the moment.

Bridie O'Donnell thinks Neylan's move is more about preserving position on the cobbles than actually attacking, because she suffered last time.

 

[Andy262]

All coming back together very soon

 

[Scarponi]

My tv station keeps swapping. Is this the circuit before the final climb still?

 

[Netserk]

My tv station keeps swapping. Is this the circuit before the final climb still?

Halfway through on the last lap on the first circuit.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Van Dijk very good on the climb, but maybe the first signs of who will be looking to move on the big climb - Moolman-Pasio, Longo Borghini, Amialiusik, Niewiadoma and Stevens all visible quite far forward there. Oh, and Neff. Very strong front group now, some real pressure on. Never seen Pavlukhina descend before, she looks Basso level.

 

[Andy262]

Yes, they've just finished the second lap and on the way back along the seafront now.

 

[doperhopper]

All together, race starts from zero.

 

[doperhopper]

that italian mech... good job