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Ladies tour of Norway
Preview |
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The Ladies Tour of Norway is back
for a second year but with just two stages instead of the
three of the first edition. The prologue has been removed and
instead the peloton will ride a criterium to start with the
results not impacting the races general classification.
Five of the top seven UCI teams are here - Rabo, Boels
Dolmans, Orica-AIS, Bigla and Hitec using the race as final
preparation for the two Open de Suède Vargarda rounds of the
Women's World Cup. Defending champion Anna Van der Breggen is
back and will be looking to continue her best season.
Rabo dominated the event last with Marianne Vos winning the
prologue, Van der Breggen a solo win on stage one before Vos
won a sprint from a small group including Van der Breggen, who
consolidated the overall finishing second. Rabo filled the top
three positions on the final GC standings with six in the top
10.
2014 Results
Prologue: Marianne VOS
Stage 1: Anna VAN DER BREGGEN
Stage 2: Marianne VOS
General Classification
1 Anna VAN DER BREGGEN
2 Marianne VOS +38
3 Katarzyna NIEWIADOMA +45
4 Rossella RATTO +54
5 Tiffany CROMWELL +1:02
6 Emma JOHANSSON +1:02
7 Valentina SCANDOLARA +1:13
8 Roxane KNETEMANN +1:15
9 Annemiek VAN VLEUTEN +1:34
10 Thalita DE JONG +2:38
Past Winners
2014 - Anna Van der Breggen
The Route
Stage 1
Riders cross the border between Norway and Sweden three times
over the 114.6 kilometre stage that offers plenty of
opportunities for attacking. The stage finishes with three
complete but closer to four laps of a finishing circuit that
includes a short climb.
Sprint Points: 32.7km and 97.6km
GPM Points: 40.7km and 71.1km
Border Sprint: 20.2km
Stage 2
More undulating roads on stage two that should again make for
aggressive racing. Four laps complete the stage that again
include a short climb.
Sprint Points: 56.5km and 97.6km
GPM Points: 24.9km and 70.8km
Border Sprint: 41.4km
The Contenders
Start list available
here
Anna Van der Breggen and Rabo
Rabo brings defending champion Anna Van der Breggen and third
place finisher Katarzyna Niewidoma. Last year the team put six
riders in the top 10 in a show of their dominance. Repeating
that performance will be far from easy but they bring a number
of contenders for every situation.
Van der Breggen has been the rider of the season and has been
on fire since the first race of the season in Europe winning
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Since then has won two stage of the
Energiewacht Tour, La Flèche Wallonne, Festival Luxembourgeois
Elsy Jacobs, Dutch TT Championship, Giro Rosa and La Course.
After winning two prologues will no doubt be missing the race
against the clock this year but that is not likely to deter
her. A late attack at La Course stole the show and beat out
the sprinters. The undulating roads give her plenty of
opportunity to attack.
Katarzyna Niewidoma finished third last year and has also been
one of the stand out riders this year. Won Euskal Emakumeen
Bira, finished fifth at the Giro in support of Van der Breggen
and comes in having just claimed the European under 23
championships. Expect to see her aggressive and after
supporting Van der Breggen at the Giro might get some support
in return here.
Emma Johansson and Orica-AIS
The Swedish Champion finished sixth last year and after an
injury impacted classics season with a broken collarbone but
has been back to her consistent ways after a quick recovery.
With a move to Wiggle Honda next year she is in the final few
races with Orica-AIS and will no doubt want to finish on a
strong note. The race suits her attacking style of racing and
in this field will also fancy her chances in a sprint from a
large peloton of more select group.
Orica-AIS are always looking for opportunities to attack and
without a pure sprinter they will no doubt he often found up
the road. Gracie Elvin on the back of two wins this year will
be full of confidence and on these roads will be at home.
Packs a strong finish from a select group. Amanda Spratt and
Valentina Scandolara are two riders who like to be up the road
and are likely to be a dangerous duo.
Emilie Moberg
A home race for Emilie Moberg and comes in to the race off the
back of a podium finish at Sparkassen Giro World Cup at the
start of the month. On home roads Moberg will be motivated and
her recent World Cup podium will fill her with confidence.
Packs a strong finish and in the event of a sprint will be a
name to watch. Will have to be careful some of the bigger
teams don't split the race.
Lotto Lepisto and Bigla
The champion of Finland has taken it to a new level in the
second half of 2015. Took five top five finishes including a
stage win ahead of Emma Johansson at the Internationale
Thüringen Rundfahrt. In her last two races finished fifth at
La Course and just missed the podium in fourth at the
Sparkassen Giro World Cup. Packs a very quick finish and in
this field will be confident of her chances having recently
finished ahead of riders like Johansson.
The reigning champions of Canada and South Africa are two
other options that Bigla squad has. Joelle Numainville could
spring a big surprise over a number of better-known rivals.
Finished a strong 14th in a wet and messy La Course but it is
her result from Internationale Thüringen Rundfahrt that is a
better indictor of how she could go here. Finished eighth
overall with three top 10 finishes and these sort of
undulating roads suit her. Can post a good result in a sprint
finish as well.
Moolman has had an excellent season winning Auensteiner-
Radsporttage and finishing second at Euskal Emakumeen Bira and
fourth at the Giro Rosa. The course offers opportunities for
attacking and she will no doubt try and split the race to both
improve her own and her teams chances.
Amalie Dideriksen
The reigning Danish Champion and two time junior road world
champion Dideriksen has had a strong first year as a
professional on both the track and road. Has had a number of
strong results this year including two top 10 finishes at the
Women's Tour and a podium at Auensteiner- Radsporttage.
Hasn't raced on the road since the end of June with her focus
on the track and earning qualification points for the 2015-16
World Cup season. Put in an outstanding performance to win the
IP at the under 23 European Championships and also claimed the
omnium title. How she handles switching between disciplines as
a first year senior will be interesting.
Boels Dolmans has a strong squad with the likes of Megan
Guarnier, Evelyn Stevens and Kasia Pawlowska all likely to be
aggressive.
Shelley Olds
Olds is always consistent but is more often than not just
short of a win. Hasn't raced much this year with injury issues
and a split with Bigla in the middle of the season. Won the
White Spot / Delta Road Race in Canada and picked up a number
of other wins at BC Superweek. With most of her big sprint
rivals absent Olds will be looking forward to the sprints. Her
Ale Cipollini team often fills the top 10 with several riders
but will need to execute a proper leadout if Olds wants to
win.
Other names to watch: Tatiana Guderzo, Sara Mustonen, Lucy
Coldwell and Emilia Fahlin. |
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