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La Course by Le Tour de France
Preview |
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La Course returns after a
successful first edition in 2014. Defending Champion Marianne
Vos will miss the race with injury but there is no shortage of
sprinters. Kirsten Wild will be looking to reassert her
dominance while the on form Jolien D'hoore is joined by the
likes of Lizzie Armitstead, Giorgia Bronzini, Elena Cecchini,
Barbara Guarischi, Melissa Hoskins, Lucy Garner and Hannah
Barnes among others looking for the win.
2014 Results
1 Marianne VOS
2 Kirsten WILD +0
3 Leah KIRCHMANN +0
4 Lisa BRENNAUER +0
5 Shelley OLDS +0
6 Coryn RIVERA +0
7 Jolien D'HOORE +0
8 Emma JOHANSSON +0
9 Simona FRAPPORTI +0
10 Roxane FOURNIER +0
Past Winners
2014 Marianne Vos
The Route
One of the most famous pieces of road in cycling. 13 laps of
the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
The Contenders
Start list available
here
Kirsten Wild
With a renewed focus on the track ahead of Rio we have seen
less of Kirsten Wild on the road this year. Finished second
last year with only Marianne Vos able to beat her in the
sprint. When on form Wild is very difficult to beat. Has taken
nine victories this year with the most recent the final stage
of Tour de Bretagne Féminin last weekend. Despite the win it
is hard to know what her form is like due to the lack of big
name sprinters at the race. Expect Wild to want to reassert
herself as the dominant womens sprinter but with a number of
rising stars she will have to be on her best. Can count on
strong support from Lauren Kitchen.
Leah Kirchmann
Kirchmann rounded out the podium last year in third behind
Marianne Vos and Kirsten Wild beating out a number of better
known sprinters. The former Canadian Champion spends a lot of
time riding in North America and has won stages at Joe Martin
Stage Race and the Tour of California this year. Is by no
means a pure sprinter as she can climb and time trial very
well as well. Looked strong at the BeNe Ladies Tour finishing
second in the time trial. Didn't start the final stage so
might come in a little fresher than the likes of Jolien
D'hoore. It will be hard to repeat her podium performance but
don't discount her.
Jolien D'hoore and Giorgia Bronzini
Wiggle Honda brings their strong sprint line up and something
to consider is that there are several riders missing that
could easily be put in a sprint train. With D'hoore and
Bronzini as two of the quickest sprinters in the peloton and a
team that includes Chloe Hosking, Nettie Edmondson, Emilia Fahlin and Audrey Cordon they will be the team to watch.
D'hoore finished seventh last year but returns even quicker
and with a much stronger sprint squad at her disposal. Has
been consistent since February and that is including time on
the track. Has eight wins this year plus two more in the form
of the time trial and overall at the BeNe Ladies Tour last
weekend where she also took two road stages. Is the in form
rider and will be hard to beat in a sprint.
Wiggle also has two time World Champion Giorgia Bronzini but
Bronzini hasn't seemed at her usual level this year and has
often ridden in support of others. Won Acht van Westerveld in
March and the Tour of Chongming Island World Cup in May and
will no doubt want to win here but with a storming D'hoore is
more likely to play a support role again.
Barbara Guarischi and Lisa Brennauer
A new team for Barbara Guarischi and it has delivered her the
biggest win of her career a stage at the Giro Rosa. Has had
numerous other podium finishes this year including second
behind Jolien D'hoore on stage one of the Energiewacht Tour.
If Guarischi is well positioned for the sprint will be very
dangerous but often finds herself too far back.
Generally thought of as a time trialist but Brennauer can do
so much more. Nearly completed the triple last year when she
also claimed silver in the road race at the World
Championships. Not really a sprinter but her finish this year
has been competitive with some of the best. Finished in the
top six on every stage of The Women's Tour including winning
stage four ahead of the likes of Johansson, Barnes and
D'hoore. Keep an eye on Trixi Worrack as well.
Melissa Hoskins and Emma Johansson
After a difficult start to the season when nothing seemed to
go their way Orica-AIS have for the most part turned things
around. Team Pursuit World Champion Melissa Hoskins will race
her second last race with the squad and will be looking to go
out on a high note. Missed Internationale Thüringen Rundfahrt
with illness so how she is going is a big question. When on
top form Hoskins can compete with the best of them and beat
Giorgia Bronzini twice back in January.
If Hoskins is yet to recover fully then the team has the
always consistent Emma Johansson. Broke her collarbone at
Novilon Eurocup but was back less than three weeks later and
finished a very impressive 13th at Ronde van Vlaanderen. Not a
pure sprinter but is capable of fighting for a podium spot.
Her increased strength on the climbs seems to have cost her a
bit of speed but if there is a rider you should never discount
it is Johansson.
Lizzie Armitstead
Regained the British National title but Armitstead would
likely prefer a much hillier route. Can sprint but her
finishing speed seems to go up and down quite a bit. Came out
flying with two stages and the overall in Qatar but most of
her wins since have been over hilly parcours. Won the opening
stage of the Women's Tour in a sign that when on form she can
beat the best. Spent the Giro working for her teammates and
with the significance of the event expect to see Armitstead
sprinting at her best.
Lucy Garner
The dual Junior World Champion had a number of injury issues
earlier in the year but has put them behind her and is
returning to the level that earned her a win at the Tour of
Chongming Island in 2013. Took a podium finish at the Women's
Tour and most recently won the bunch sprint for second on the
final stage of the BeNe Ladies Tour after one rider stayed
away solo. It is one of her big targets for the year and with
the form she is in will be challenging for the podium. Backed
by a strong team including Amy Pieters who could be a
contender in her own right and Sara Mustonen.
Hannah Barnes and Coryn Rivera
Much has been spoken of the talent of Hannah Barnes and she
took her first big breakthrough winning the final stage of the
Women's Tour. The 22 year old continues to get better and that
win against many of the best will have given here a great deal
of confidence.
Coryn Rivera is another name to watch for UnitedHealthcare and
finished sixth in the inaugural additional last year. A
regular winner in the United States and took the biggest win
of her career from a break on stage five of the Internationale
Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen this past week. The combination
of Barnes and Rivera make a dangerous combination and whomever
they sprint for the other teams will need to watch them
carefully.
Amy Cure and Elena Cecchini
We have seen little of Amy Cure on the road this year due to
track commitments. Comes in to the race off the back of a six
week track training camp with the Australian National team in the
Netherlands. Missed the race last year due to the track
programme at the Commonwealth Games where she picked up medals
in the individual pursuit and scratch race. If Cure comes in
with good form can be fighting for a podium spot.
Successfully defended the Italian Championship on a course
that didn't really suit her and will again go up against the
best sprinters in the world. Is very consistent and won a
stage at Festival Luxembourgeois Elsy Jacobs and two podium
finishers at the Giro Rosa. Her climbing has improved but her
speed seems to have suffered for it. Finished third overall at
BeNe Ladies Tour last weekend but that was in part due to
making the four rider break on stage one.
Roxane Fournier
A rising French sprinter took the win at Grand Prix de
Dottignies in April but winning the final stage of the Tour of
Chongming Island is her most important win to date. Knowing
she has beaten the likes of Bronzini and Wild should give her
confidence. Last weekend won the bunch sprint on the final
stage of Tour de Bretagne Féminin (Wild won as part of a
break) in a sign she is on decent form.
Shelley Olds and Annalisa Cucinotta
Alé Cipollini is a team that regularly puts multiple riders in
the top 10 but often struggles to convert their strong
sprinting squad in to race wins. The one exception of the team
is Annalisa Cucinotta who surprised a bit taking the opening
stage of the Tour of Qatar. Has continued to produce results
and picked up an impressive stage win at the Giro Rosa beating
some bigger names on stage four.
Shelley Olds has moved back to the team after spending the
first half of the season with Bigla. While Olds is always
consistent she struggles to convert her consistency in to
wins. Has been on good form picking up wins at BC Superweek in
Canada but this is another test. Olds finished fifth last year
but in terms of speed Cucinotta might be the better candidate
for the win.
Lucinda Brand and Rabo
Without Marianne Vos the options of Rabo in a sprint are
limited so expect to see them on the attack to try and make a
selection giving Lucinda Brand a better chance. Comes in
having won the Dutch National Championships and two stages of
the Giro Rosa, both from breaks. Results will show she beat
Wild on a stage at the Energiewacht Tour but that was down to
Brand getting the jump.
Lotta Lepisto and Bigla
Not a name you might immediately think of for a big bunch
sprint but the champion of Finland Lotta Lepisto comes in with
arguably the best form of her career. Five top five finishes
including a stage win ahead of Emma Johansson at the
Internationale Thüringen Rundfahrt. The task of beating the
top sprinters on a flat course is another challenge compared
to the rolling terrain in Germany but a top 10 would be a
strong result. You can be all but certain that Vera Koedooder
will be off the front at some point, while Canadian Champion
Joëlle Numainville is another name to watch for a top 10
finish.
Other names to watch: Amy Pieters, Pascale Jeuland, Kim De
Baat, Sofie De Vuyst, Kelly Druyts, Lucy Martin and Christina
Siggaard. |
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