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

[awavey]

 

[awavey]

Stage 1 Preview Sunday 23rd July – Clermont-Ferrand – Clermont-Ferrand (124km, Flat)

Mostly flat till the last 30km when it goes up hill more than the profile shows.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The final climb is the first 1.7k of this:

And then the real shock: ASO have provided halfway decent profiles for the final kilometres! Still worse than what RCS had as early as the late 2000s, but at least a major improvement over what we usually get - hopefully for other races as well going forward.

 

[awavey]

Current startlist, but there have been a few late minute swapouts, changes due to injury/illness going on so not guaranteed yet to be wholly accurate

https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=15687&k=8&y=2023&k=8

obviously
Annemiek van Vleuten & Demi Vollering are the big favourites for another Vuelta style dust up on GC. but theres always Marta Cavalli, Marianne Vos, Kasia Niewadoma, Elisa Longo Borghini in the wings.

And plenty of sprint options from Lorena Wiebes, Charlotte Kool, Elisa Balsamo.

and lots of stage winners like Lotte Kopecky, Ashleigh Moolman Passio, Pfeiffer Georgi, Grace Brown, Lizzie Deignan. to shake things up.

could be a good 8 stage race

 

[Red Rick]

I'm actually starting to think this race is perfect for post Tour hangover

 

[Izzyeviel]

are we getting the full stages on GCN plus?

 

[Kaptain Kool]

are we getting the full stages on GCN plus?

Based upon the posted schedule, it looks like maybe Stages 1 (4 hours) and 7 (3hr 45min) will have full stage coverage. Then 3 hours for Stages 2 through 6 and 2hrs 30min for the time trial.

 

[yaco]

If Wiebes can get over the final steep climb then she could win four stages - If not SD Worx have an excellent back up option in Kopecky for stage one.

The route design is very average and the bigger worry is that the first three stages of the 2024 edition are in Holland which will be flat unless they use the Limburg region.

 

[pmcg76]

Hard to see beyond Van Vleuten or Vollering for the Overall win, though there will be plenty of contenders for the other podium spot.

 

[awavey]

Based upon the posted schedule, it looks like maybe Stages 1 (4 hours) and 7 (3hr 45min) will have full stage coverage. Then 3 hours for Stages 2 through 6 and 2hrs 30min for the time trial.

if anyone in the UK doesnt have GCN+, Lifeplus Wahoo are giving away free 8 day passes, you just have to go to their teamwebsite and sign up today.

as for the length of coverage being provided

how can they unironically promote this race with their #watchthefemmes hashtag and then not provide full stage coverage, when even the much criticised Tour de Femin Pyrenees managed as much.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hate the route.

6 very samey slightly hilly stages of the kind that is already heavily overrepresented in the women's calendar, then one mountain stage and one TT on the final two days. Only one climb in each of the top three categories, HC, 1 and 2 - and the cat.2 climb is stupendously over-categorised too.

Also the two MTFs in the first two editions of the race are Planche des Belles Filles and Tourmalet. I'm pretty sure I'm being trolled here.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Hard to see beyond Van Vleuten or Vollering for the Overall win, though there will be plenty of contenders for the other podium spot.

No van Anrooij, maybe not another Dutch monopoly of all the jerseys.

 

[Didinho]

SD-Worx with only 2 normal jerseys, the rest all national champions. And also Vas isn’t here.

 

[awavey]

SD-Worx with only 2 normal jerseys, the rest all national champions. And also Vas isn’t here.

but Demi Vollering is WWT leader so has to wear the purple jersey, not her national jersey, and I dont think she can be caught in that competition whatever happens in this race.

Gasparrini is the top ranked youth rider (4th) taking part in the race, but only the leader in the rankings wears the jersey.

I do like how theyve done Lotte Kopeckys jersey though. Leedl Trek take note

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1682835982431780864

View: https://twitter.com/LeTourFemmes/status/1682835982431780864?s=20

 

[awavey]

They appear to be live streaming rider sign on via twitter in case anyones interested

https://twitter.com/x/status/1683035470928785408

View: https://twitter.com/LeTourFemmes/status/1683035470928785408

 

[awavey]

official start list

https://twitter.com/x/status/1682773023500247040

View: https://twitter.com/LeTourFemmes/status/1682773023500247040

 

[awavey]

that twitter stream is also covering the grand depart rather than just talking about it

 

[yaco]

My selections for the stage are Kopecky and longo-Borghini.

 

[yaco]

I am interested in the sprints - Wiebes in her quest tp be a more weel-rounded rider has a lost a touch of speed in her sprint. Kool is the one rider who can ride on her wheel and come out of the slipstream.

 

[RedheadDane]

Strange to watch a race without a Victor Campenaerts attacking right from the start.

 

[awavey]

My selections for the stage are Kopecky and longo-Borghini.

yes I think Kopecky or Kool, I dont think Wiebes is going to find much of a SD Worx sprinter train for her, so shell end up following DSM if it comes to a sprint, which I think will favour Kool.

but I could be completely wrong, it has happened occasionally

 

[awavey]

Strange to watch a race without a Victor Campenaerts attacking right from the start.

no attacks at all yet, I thought someone would go for it

 

[awavey]

I was thinking also its good SD Worx have so few normal jerseys on show, given they completely merge with Canyon SRAMS allez Zwift jersey

 

[RedheadDane]

There was an attempt.