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Tour de l'Aude Feminin

Apologies if someone has already created a thread on this, however I just wanted to say how interesting I have found the results of this years womens TdF so far.

3 Cervelo riders in the top 4, with Marianne Vos splitting them in third place.

It looks like one of Bruins, Hausler or Armstrong will take overall victory with three against the one of Vos and Cooke being the most likely outcome. The team time-trial seems to have completely set the GC up for Cervelo as they by far and away the strongest time trial squad.

I know there are a couple of tough stages to come and we could see a major breakaway gain enough time to change the overall, but the dominance of Cervelo looks like it will hold this to the finish unless Vos and/or Cooke can somehow break them.

What I would say though is that Nicole Cooke seems to have created a team along with Stefan Wyman that is considerably weak for someone who wants to compete at the very top. Yes, I know the team is developmental for the London Olympics, but when you have a team that does not include the best up-and-coming British rider in Lizzie Armitstead and you tend to race on a team with only one or two other British females in the race team then you won't quite develop a good enough base for British female cyclists to become top racers.
 
Mar 3, 2009
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Big_Blue_Dave said:
What I would say though is that Nicole Cooke seems to have created a team along with Stefan Wyman that is considerably weak for someone who wants to compete at the very top. Yes, I know the team is developmental for the London Olympics, but when you have a team that does not include the best up-and-coming British rider in Lizzie Armitstead and you tend to race on a team with only one or two other British females in the race team then you won't quite develop a good enough base for British female cyclists to become top racers.

I'd agree, however it's not a huge surprise. I could handle riding in a compatriot's shadow for the Olympics, but I wouldn't put my name down to do it for the four years leading into the Olympics.

Much better to go to a team with more depth, where you will learn more, have the chance to build a name for yourself and thus create better financial opportunities for yourself.

Cheers
Greg Johnson