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La Route de France
Preview |
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After a quiet week the women's
peloton returns to racing at La Route de France. While there
are no clashes on the calendar the majority of the top UCI
teams have been or are currently holding training camps ahead
of the final World Cup races of the season. Wiggle Honda is
here as is Liv Plantur and Hitec but the likes of Rabo, Boels
Dolmans, Orica and Velocio-SRAM have elected to stay away.
Defending Champion Claudia Lichtenberg returns and is looking
to go back to back while 2007 winner Amber Neben continues to
make her return to the top level of the sport
The GC will get a shake up on day one with a short 3-kilometre
prologue but the gaps are not going to be huge. The sprinters
get a number of opportunities but inclusion of a summit finish
on stage 5 at La Planche Des Belles Filles is likely to be the
deciding the overall. The final stage is far from flat and
could again see some changes if riders are suffering from the
previous days climbing.
2014 Results
Stage 1: Claudia LICHTENBERG
Stage 2: Barbara GUARISCHI
Stage 3: Giorgia BRONZINI
Stage 4: Kirsten WILD
Stage 5: Audrey CORDON
Stage 6: Kirsten WILD
Stage 7: Iris SLAPPENDEL
General Classification
1 Claudia HAUSLER
2 Alena AMIALIUSIK +1:02
3 Aude BIANNIC +3:35
4 Audrey CORDON +3:38
5 Maaike POLSPOEL +3:38
6 Giorgia BRONZINI +4:15
7 Lizzie WILLIAMS +4:15
8 Sabrina STULTIENS +4:15
9 Malgorzta JASINSKA +4:15
10 Elena BERLATO +4:15
Past Winners
2014 - Claudia Lichtenberg
2013 - Linda Villumsen
2012 - Evelyn Stevens
2010 - Annemiek Van Vleuten
2009 - Kimberly Anderson
2008 - Luise Keller
2007 - Amber Neben
2006 - Linda Villumsen
The Route
Prologue Enghien Les Bains (3km)
Stage 1 Avon - Briare Le Canal (127.1km)
Stage 2 Villemandeur - Bourges (118km)
Stage 3 Nevers - Avallon (113.3km)
Stage 4 Autun - Louhans-Chateaurenaud (103km)
Stage 5 Vesoul - La Planche Des Belles Filles (87.4km)
Stage 6 Soulzmatt - Issenheim - Guebwiller (116.4km)
The Contenders
Prologue
At 3 kilometres and flat it is one for the specialists and
those riders with a track background have a good opportunity.
Amy Cure: You will be hard
pushed to find a better pursuiter in the world. Australian IP
Champion and medals the past three years at the World
Championships in the IP.
Annette Edmondson: Another
track specialist who can produce a very strong time trial over
a short distance.
Jasmin Glaesser: 4 time World
Championship medallist in the TP. On great form following the
Pan Am Games.
Leah Kirchmann: Very strong
against the clock especially over shorter distances. 3rd in
the 6km time trial at BeNe Ladies Tour.
Elisa Longo Borghini: Very
strong against the clock but the short distance doesn't suit
her perfectly but will be motivated to take a few seconds on
her rivals.
Tatiana Antoshina: 4 time
trial wins in 2015
Other names to watch: Lauren Kitchen, Jaimie Nielsen, Lucy
Garner, Jenelle Crooks, Giorgia Bronzini and Soline Lamboley.
Sprinters
Lucy Garner: Picked up a
stage win at the Tour of Chongming Island as a first year
professional but some injury issues have seen a quieter period
since. Looks to be returning to her best with podiums at The
Women's Tour and Bene Ladies Tour.
Giorgia Bronzini: When at her
best is one of the best sprinters but has been lacking
something this year and largely playing a support role. In
2013 won six stages in a row and will be looking to pick up a
few more.
Amy Cure: Multiple track
world champion is chasing her first win on the road since
2013. A very quick finisher and after a track camp expect her
to come in with some good speed.
Annette Edmondson: Likely to
support Bronzini but Edmondson herself is a strong sprinter.
Won the Tour of Chongming Island in 2013.
Kimberley Wells: Wells is the
Australian criterium champion and while she has limited racing
in Europe she certainly has the speed to be competitive with
the best. The Australian Development team is still working on
their lead outs but expect them to get better the more they
race.
Lauren Kitchen: Not a pure
sprinter but has taken four wins in 2015 in smaller of
slightly hillier races. Plenty of opportunities and with some
undulating on the way Kitchen could have fresher legs than
some of her rivals.
Roxane Fournier: A name that
might fly a little under the radar but Fournier picked up the
biggest win of her career on the final stage of the Tour of
Chongming Island this year being the likes of Wild and
Bronzini. Backed by a strong team and is normally at her best
in French races.
Other names to watch: Jasmin Glaesser, Loren Rowney, Amy
Pieters and Shannon Malseed.
General Classification
Claudia Lichtenberg
The defending champion has a good chance of making it two in a
row despite the change of course. Took a solo win on the
opening stage last year and never looked back as she claimed
the overall. Lichtenberg climbs with the best in the world and
has six top 10 finishes at the Giro Rosa to her name including
the win in 2009. Hasn't seemed at her absolute best this year
but still finished 12th at the Giro. The team will have a dual
objective as they will also be hunting stage wins with Lucy
Garner but with a team to control for the sprinters
Lichtenberg should be able to stay safe in the peloton and not
lose any time ahead of the final two stages.
Elisa Longo Borghini and Mayuko
Hagiwara
Wiggle brings a strong team with riders to contend for both
sprint wins and the overall. Elisa Longo Borghini has had one
of the best seasons of her career with a strong classics
season culminating in a win at Ronde van Vlaanderen. Longo
Borghini then claimed her third top 10 finish in a row at the
Giro Rosa. Expect her to bide her time for the penultimate
stage and then attack on the final climb. One of the best
climbers in the world and few if anyone in this field will be
able to match her. In Mayuko Hagiwara the team has a second
option for the overall. Took a stage at the Giro Rosa before
taking another win at Tour de Bretagne Féminin. Still
developing but with a summit finish and a smaller field than
at some of the bigger races it will give the champion of Japan
an opportunity to test herself.
Amber Neben
The former time trial world champion has signed with BePink
for the rest of 2015 after some strong results in the United
States. The lack of a long time trial and limited racing at a
high level in recent years could hurt her chances. The one big
bonus Neben has on her side is experience and that could be
crucial here. A former podium finisher at the Giro Rosa and it
will be interesting to see how she goes against the likes of
Longo Borghini on the penultimate stage.
Ellen Skerritt and Jenelle Crooks
The young Aussie duo gets an opportunity that will be
invaluable for their careers. Both are two of the best
climbers domestically and come in with good form. Crooks was
the best young rider at the Internationale Thüringen Rundfahrt
der Frauen last month and that will give her confidence. This
however will be another test for the 21 year old.
Skerritt was quieter results wise at Thüringen Rundfahrt but
was on the attack and this race suits her much better. Can
time trial well but he strength comes on the longer climbs and
stage five to La Planche Des Belles Filles will be her chance
to shine.
Carlee Taylor
Another Aussie and one that often rides in a support role but
could produce a strong result. With limited kilometres against
the clock and a summit finish is suits the Australian climber.
If Taylor can head in to stage five having lost as little time
as possible she is capable of riding herself in to a top 10 or
even better finish.
Eugenia Bujak
Finished on the podium at Gracia Orlova, before a respectible
34th at the Giro and more recently 10th at Thüringen
Rundfahrt. Goes well on undulating terrain and climbing with
the likes of Longo Borghini and Lichtenberg might be a
challenge but if she rides within herself finishing in the top
10 would be a significant result.
Leach Kirchmann
You might not immediately be a name you would consider for the
overall in a race with a summit finish but discounting her
would be a mistake. It will be a big test for the former
Canadian Champion but could spring a surprise. Second this
year at the Tour of California, fifth Joe Martin Stage Race
and seventh Tour of the Gila.
Other names to watch: Anna Christian, Jesse Daams, Molly
Weaver and Amalie Rivat. |
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