Tour de France Tour de France Femmes 2023 (July 23rd-30th)

[jaylew]

I think Vollering may put a little time on AVV on this finish. Hope I'm wrong

Vollering passing Koster at the end was big. She gained 8 secs on AVV with that pass.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yeah, but when it then comes together, get on the front and bring Vollering as close as possible. Kopecky just didn't do anything.

She was leading the group after Labous attacked, and she probably also needed a bit of rest after her own attack to be fair.

 

[Volderke]

Kopecky was sent to survive the hill and maybe pull vollering if vollering had some daylight between her and AVV. But vollering went too early, and kopecky worked (and would never pull back kastelijn anyway), so I fail to see what more work by kopecky would have done else than potentially lose the yellow jersey.

 

[Izzyeviel]

I enjoyed that. Lots of intrigue and drama & the right person won. Brilliant.

 

[dobrien]

I enjoyed that. Lots of intrigue and drama & the right person won. Brilliant.

Yup, that was a fun stage.

 

[theyoungest]

Kopecky was sent to survive the hill and maybe pull vollering if vollering had some daylight between her and AVV. But vollering went too early, and kopecky worked (and would never pull back kastelijn anyway), so I fail to see what more work by kopecky would have done else than potentially lose the yellow jersey.

The yellow jersey is secondary. She's not going to win that anyway.

Of course, she's only human. Maybe she just couldn't do anything for Demi. But this way there was no point at all to her move.

 

[Volderke]

The yellow jersey is secondary. She's not going to win that anyway.

Of course, she's only human. Maybe she just couldn't do anything for Demi. But this way there was no point at all to her move.

Was there any way she could have helped vollering more, than going up the road? She was never going to pull back Kastelijn, and without anticipating, she would have been dropped on that last climb.
ps: I only watched the last 10K, so maybe people are referring to the work that SD worx didn't do before that.

 

[jaylew]

Fdj being all, the tour is all that matters this year, and probably ends up doing worse in both the classics and the tour than last year. Even with Cavalli not at her full, they cannot be satisfied with Muzic and CUL..

Yeah, two years in a row. Granted last year was more about crashes but I don't think the parcours is there this year for another stage win bounce back.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Why did persico lost again 2 minutes? Bad tdf so far.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Kasia

Why did persico lost again 2 minutes? Bad tdf so far.

She clearly isn't as strong as last year. During the Giro, she and Magnaldi weren't really able to get much out of having two almost equally strong riders either.

 

[Dk one]

Yeah, two years in a row. Granted last year was more about crashes but I don't think the parcours is there this year for another stage win bounce back.

Just to add, I am not laying full blame on the riders, the ds, trainers etc. obviously have a lot of responsibility.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Kasia

She clearly isn't as strong as last year. During the Giro, she and Magnaldi weren't really able to get much out of having two almost equally strong riders either.

Yeah it's sad and a bit weird when she was so strong in spring. Don't blame kasia please

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yeah it's sad and a bit weird when she was so strong in spring. Don't blame kasia please

I had begun writing a post about how Kasia unlike Vollering was able to avoid an S bomb, but then never finished it.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

SD Worx just throwing away a win today. Such stupid riding by Kopecky, just work for Vollering, she's the overwhelming favourite on this stage!

Great riding by Kastelijn. Always rides with a lot of heart.

Kopecky? Work for somebody else? Lol.
Kopecky? Work for Demi? Lmao.

 

[JosefK]

Fun stage (#4). AVV gave up 8 seconds to Demi, but only 2 seconds on the road. I still think Demi is the favorite for the GC, but is it possible that Annemiek has not yet vacated the rental property that she's maintained inside Demi's head?

 

[dobrien]

Fun stage (#4). AVV gave up 8 seconds to Demi, but only 2 seconds on the road. I still think Demi is the favorite for the GC, but is it possible that Annemiek has not yet vacated the rental property that she's maintained inside Demi's head?

AVV just has to have the legs on Saturday, that's the big one. Today might have been a little too explosive at the end for Annemiek perhaps?

 

[Izzyeviel]

Wednesday July 26 – Stage 4​

Medical bulletin

Mie Bjørndal Ottestad ( Uno-X ) - Injury to the face and contusion to the right leg.

Martina Alzini ( Cofidis ) - Right elbow injury.

Evita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) – Insect bite.

Jury report

Mie Bjørndal Ottestad ( Uno-X ) – Stayeren. 100 Swiss Franc fine, 1 minute time penalty, 2 points deduction in the points classification and 1 point deduction in the King of the Mountains classification.

Huub Duijn (team leader Uno-X ) – Stayeren. 200 Swiss Franc fine.

Marta Cavalli (FDJ-SUEZ) - For using the sidewalk for a short distance without taking advantage of it. Warning.

Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-Suez) - Carelessly throwing away a water bottle, leaving it on the public road. 250 Swiss Franc fine and 15 points deduction in the UCI classification.

Mischa Bredewold ( SD Worx ) – Unauthorized supply, twice (sticky water bottle). 200 Swiss Franc fine.

Anna van der Breggen (sport manager SD Worx ) – Unauthorized supply, twice (sticky water bottle). 200 Swiss Franc fine.

Rik Van Slycke (sports director Fenix-Deceuninck) – Violation of the rules regarding the regulations of vehicles in the race. 200 Swiss Franc fine.

Drive engine 13 – Violation of the rules regarding the regulations of vehicles in the course. 200 Swiss Franc fine.

During stage 5, supplies are allowed from kilometers 20 to 10 kilometers from the finish.

In the context of the fight against technological fraud, 36 bicycles were checked. All bikes complied with UCI regulations.

No need to cry for Evita, was just an insect bite.

 

[awavey]

Lotte Kopecky "We're here to defend the final GC and not really my yellow jersey at the moment, so if I would have lost it today, I would be sad but on the other hand, it was for a higher good."

 

[meat puppet]

Very good stage. Nice that the team dynamics allowed the break enough leeway to get a chance and they actually delivered.

SDW tactics fairly perplexing, but I guess such is life when there are not enough grunts and many stars.

Since I think AVV will stomp everyone including Vollering on the Tourmalet with her stamina, it would have been a welcome development if several riders including Vollering took time on her, but kudos to her for defending well. If my expectation was the opposite, ie Vollering being on the driver's seat, I would obviously rejoice the outcome more. Agree she probably went too early, as the kick is where she has an advantage.

 

[pmcg76]

So that was probably one of my favourite wins in a while, one of the cross ladies taking a fantastic victory. Congrats to Yara and for Fenix after coming so close yesterday. Yara had a pretty quiet cross-season, but she seems to be a very well liked rider so this will be a very popular win.

Despite still scratching my head at times with regards to tactics, thought that was a pretty entertaining race today overall, plenty happening anyways. Bad day for FDJ, starting to think CULs ceiling might not be as high as we had hoped, think she might be better stage hunting, but nobody is likely to let her go.

 

[awavey]

FDJ say CUL got caught on placement on the downhill, so had to chase back to the group and thats how they lost time.

 

[awavey]

Stage 5 Profile Onet Le Chateau to Albi.

Described as a "flat" stage, its not the straightforward sprinters stage it might be assumed to be, could easily be another breakaway winner if the right groups/teams form and the chase is disorganised again.

 

[Dk one]

FDJ say CUL got caught on placement on the downhill, so had to chase back to the group and thats how they lost time.

If true, pretty stupid. They are not the best at being in the front of the peloton, see e.g. CULs two crashes in Fleche W.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cille being on FDJ is becoming very apposite as she treats us fans like Thibaut Pinot does

 

[yaco]

Nah - Pinot is a bold and attacking rider, while Ludwig sits on wheels, refuses to work in small groups and in fact is a negative rider. Ludwig makes Gerrans look an attacking rider.