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The biggest race on the women's calendar starts tomorrow (Friday 3rd July) in Tuscany. Here is a thread where we can follow and talk about it.
The prologue is in Scarperia, and consists of a 2.5km loop around the town with an essentially flat profile. Linda Villumsen has been imperious over these distances this season so look for her to take the first maglia rosa.
Stage one is interesting. There are two climbs which aren't categorised, but really ought to be. The first is a gentle rise over 7km about two-thirds of the way through, but the second is up to the finish in Pratolino di Vaglia. It is 1.7km long and averages 8.2%, and appears steep enough not just to upset the sprinters, but for the major favourites to steal a handful of seconds from each other. It's not dissimilar to the opening stage of last year's men's Tour, and is well-suited to a rider like Judith Arndt:
Stage two provides no rest for the GC contenders, as it dishes up the race's "long" (that word being used relatively, as with other recent editions of this race) time trial - 13.5km against the clock. The parcours is mostly unnoteworthy, although the final kilometre up to Santa Maria a Monte provides a little kick. This will be a good opportunity for Amber Neben to take advantage of.
By stage three, the sprinters will be getting really pissed off at the absence of opportunities (the first three road stages of last year's race were all flat). That will continue with the race's queen stage, a re-run of last year's stage to Monte Serra. The mountain is climbed twice from different sides - first up to the Prato a Ceragiola (8.4km at 7.0%, first-category) and later up to the finish at the Prato a Calci (10.7km at 6.6%, second-category but should really be first). Claudia Haüsler, Fabiana Luperini, Edita Pucinskaite, Amber Neben and Nicole Brändli will all like the look of this:
Stage four sees the sprinters breathing a sigh of relief, with a 109km stage that should provide Ina Teutenberg, Kirsten Wild, Regina Schleicher, Giorgia Bronzini and friends with their first cast-iron opportunity in Porto Sant'Elpidio.
Stage five serves up a gradual 90km ascent from sea level to 1000m before a descent into Cerro al Volturno. It's another chance for the sprinters, although the profile may also favour a long escape.
On the menu for stage six is more climbing - two first-category climbs come early on. They are Rionero Sannitico, the same as yesterday's long climb but from the other side (17.0km at 3.2%) and the tougher Prato Gentile (17.4km at 4.4%). There is also an uncategorised climb closer to the end at San Angelo in Grotte (3.2km at 5.4%), with 15km remaining until the finish at Sant'Elena Sannita. Today should see a group of favourites finishing together, but don't rule out a long breakaway - Emma Pooley will see her name all over a stage like this:
Stage seven is the race's second official mountain-top finish. The climbing is much easier than previous mountain stages, and might see the stage won in a break, but there could be a small rearranging of the GC as well. First there are two ascents of Spinazzola (4.0km at 4.0%, third-category), then the climb of Minervino Murge (1.7km at 5.5%, third-category) and then the finishing climb to Castel del Monte (5.8km at 3.8%). Those gradients won't strike fear into the climbers, but the final climb could see a fun free-for-all:
Stage eight is the last-chance saloon for anyone with hopes of turning the GC around. Early in the stage comes the Colle Sannita (17.4km at 2.7%, third-category), then an unclassified climb in Pesco Sannita (6.4km at 3.4%), but it's the day's final climb where mayhem may ensue. The climb of Molinara (10.7km at 5.2%, second-category) tops out just over 20km from the finish, so a mad dash to the finish in Pesco Sannita is on the cards. Claudia Haüsler won a much tougher but not-entirely-dissimilar stage last year, so if she's still down on GC then this will be the moment to seize:
That leaves the ceremonial final stage, with 111km of laps around a circuit in Grumo Nevano giving the sprinters the last word in this year's race.
Altogether, the parcours isn't that great. It's certainly the best of any major race this year, but stages six and seven are a little bit... Tour de l'Aude. It would have been nice to see another stage like the one last year that finished in Laveno Mombello and went over the Sette Termini and Cuvignone. But besides the return of Monte Serra, I also like stages one and eight.
As for who's riding - well the official start list is not up on the website yet, but Cycling News and another website have got their mitts on something, so based on that riders to look out for (with Brits in bold) include:
Selle Italia: Fabiana Luperini, Sigrid Corneo, Luisa Tamanini
Cervélo: Claudia Haüsler, Kristin Armstrong, Emma Pooley, Carla Ryan, Kirsten Wild
Fenixs: Svetlana Bubnenkova, Catherine Hare/Williamson (anyone know which she is using nowadays?), Evelyn García
Flexpoint: Susanne Ljungskog, Loes Gunnewijk, Loes Markerink, Trine Schmidt
Top Girls: Valentina Carretta, Alessandra D'Ettorre, Jennifer Fiori
Chirio: Clemilda Fernandes
Columbia: Mara Abbott, Judith Arndt, Chantal Beltman, Ina Teutenberg, Linda Villumsen
Lotto: Rochelle Gilmore, Lizzie Armitstead
Nürnberger: Amber Neben, Suzanne de Goede, Marlen Jöhrend, Regina Schleicher, Trixi Worrack
Michela Fanini: Monia Baccaille, Tatiana Guderzo
System Data: Deborah Mascelli
Cmax Dilà: Marta Vilajosana, Silvia Tirado
Gauss: Edita Pucinskaite, Tatiana Antoshina, Julia Martisova
Safi: Giorgia Bronzini, Inga Cilvinaite, Diana Ziliute
Bizkaia - Durango: Ana Belén García, Ariadna Tudel
Bigla: Nicole Brändli, Noemi Cantele, Jennifer Hohl, Modesta Vzesniauskaite
Australia: Chloe Hoskings
USA: Lauren Tamayo, Brooke Miller
It has been very difficult to judge form this year, so these are some rather ill-informed predictions:
GC:
1) Edita Pucinskaite
2) Claudia Haüsler
3) Fabiana Luperini
Points: Judith Arndt
Mountains: Mara Abbott
Young rider: Valentina Carretta
It would be nice if a young rider like Carretta or someone else really breaks through like Haüsler has. These Luperini-Pucinskaite-Neben-Brändli battles are getting a bit old. If Haüsler's form isn't top-notch it will be interesting to see if Emma Pooley can step up.
The prologue is in Scarperia, and consists of a 2.5km loop around the town with an essentially flat profile. Linda Villumsen has been imperious over these distances this season so look for her to take the first maglia rosa.
Stage one is interesting. There are two climbs which aren't categorised, but really ought to be. The first is a gentle rise over 7km about two-thirds of the way through, but the second is up to the finish in Pratolino di Vaglia. It is 1.7km long and averages 8.2%, and appears steep enough not just to upset the sprinters, but for the major favourites to steal a handful of seconds from each other. It's not dissimilar to the opening stage of last year's men's Tour, and is well-suited to a rider like Judith Arndt:
Stage two provides no rest for the GC contenders, as it dishes up the race's "long" (that word being used relatively, as with other recent editions of this race) time trial - 13.5km against the clock. The parcours is mostly unnoteworthy, although the final kilometre up to Santa Maria a Monte provides a little kick. This will be a good opportunity for Amber Neben to take advantage of.
By stage three, the sprinters will be getting really pissed off at the absence of opportunities (the first three road stages of last year's race were all flat). That will continue with the race's queen stage, a re-run of last year's stage to Monte Serra. The mountain is climbed twice from different sides - first up to the Prato a Ceragiola (8.4km at 7.0%, first-category) and later up to the finish at the Prato a Calci (10.7km at 6.6%, second-category but should really be first). Claudia Haüsler, Fabiana Luperini, Edita Pucinskaite, Amber Neben and Nicole Brändli will all like the look of this:
Stage four sees the sprinters breathing a sigh of relief, with a 109km stage that should provide Ina Teutenberg, Kirsten Wild, Regina Schleicher, Giorgia Bronzini and friends with their first cast-iron opportunity in Porto Sant'Elpidio.
Stage five serves up a gradual 90km ascent from sea level to 1000m before a descent into Cerro al Volturno. It's another chance for the sprinters, although the profile may also favour a long escape.
On the menu for stage six is more climbing - two first-category climbs come early on. They are Rionero Sannitico, the same as yesterday's long climb but from the other side (17.0km at 3.2%) and the tougher Prato Gentile (17.4km at 4.4%). There is also an uncategorised climb closer to the end at San Angelo in Grotte (3.2km at 5.4%), with 15km remaining until the finish at Sant'Elena Sannita. Today should see a group of favourites finishing together, but don't rule out a long breakaway - Emma Pooley will see her name all over a stage like this:
Stage seven is the race's second official mountain-top finish. The climbing is much easier than previous mountain stages, and might see the stage won in a break, but there could be a small rearranging of the GC as well. First there are two ascents of Spinazzola (4.0km at 4.0%, third-category), then the climb of Minervino Murge (1.7km at 5.5%, third-category) and then the finishing climb to Castel del Monte (5.8km at 3.8%). Those gradients won't strike fear into the climbers, but the final climb could see a fun free-for-all:
Stage eight is the last-chance saloon for anyone with hopes of turning the GC around. Early in the stage comes the Colle Sannita (17.4km at 2.7%, third-category), then an unclassified climb in Pesco Sannita (6.4km at 3.4%), but it's the day's final climb where mayhem may ensue. The climb of Molinara (10.7km at 5.2%, second-category) tops out just over 20km from the finish, so a mad dash to the finish in Pesco Sannita is on the cards. Claudia Haüsler won a much tougher but not-entirely-dissimilar stage last year, so if she's still down on GC then this will be the moment to seize:
That leaves the ceremonial final stage, with 111km of laps around a circuit in Grumo Nevano giving the sprinters the last word in this year's race.
Altogether, the parcours isn't that great. It's certainly the best of any major race this year, but stages six and seven are a little bit... Tour de l'Aude. It would have been nice to see another stage like the one last year that finished in Laveno Mombello and went over the Sette Termini and Cuvignone. But besides the return of Monte Serra, I also like stages one and eight.
As for who's riding - well the official start list is not up on the website yet, but Cycling News and another website have got their mitts on something, so based on that riders to look out for (with Brits in bold) include:
Selle Italia: Fabiana Luperini, Sigrid Corneo, Luisa Tamanini
Cervélo: Claudia Haüsler, Kristin Armstrong, Emma Pooley, Carla Ryan, Kirsten Wild
Fenixs: Svetlana Bubnenkova, Catherine Hare/Williamson (anyone know which she is using nowadays?), Evelyn García
Flexpoint: Susanne Ljungskog, Loes Gunnewijk, Loes Markerink, Trine Schmidt
Top Girls: Valentina Carretta, Alessandra D'Ettorre, Jennifer Fiori
Chirio: Clemilda Fernandes
Columbia: Mara Abbott, Judith Arndt, Chantal Beltman, Ina Teutenberg, Linda Villumsen
Lotto: Rochelle Gilmore, Lizzie Armitstead
Nürnberger: Amber Neben, Suzanne de Goede, Marlen Jöhrend, Regina Schleicher, Trixi Worrack
Michela Fanini: Monia Baccaille, Tatiana Guderzo
System Data: Deborah Mascelli
Cmax Dilà: Marta Vilajosana, Silvia Tirado
Gauss: Edita Pucinskaite, Tatiana Antoshina, Julia Martisova
Safi: Giorgia Bronzini, Inga Cilvinaite, Diana Ziliute
Bizkaia - Durango: Ana Belén García, Ariadna Tudel
Bigla: Nicole Brändli, Noemi Cantele, Jennifer Hohl, Modesta Vzesniauskaite
Australia: Chloe Hoskings
USA: Lauren Tamayo, Brooke Miller
It has been very difficult to judge form this year, so these are some rather ill-informed predictions:
GC:
1) Edita Pucinskaite
2) Claudia Haüsler
3) Fabiana Luperini
Points: Judith Arndt
Mountains: Mara Abbott
Young rider: Valentina Carretta
It would be nice if a young rider like Carretta or someone else really breaks through like Haüsler has. These Luperini-Pucinskaite-Neben-Brändli battles are getting a bit old. If Haüsler's form isn't top-notch it will be interesting to see if Emma Pooley can step up.
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