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Tour de Feminin - O cenu
Českého Švýcarska
Preview |
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With the only women's grand tour
going on the Tour de Feminin - O cenu Ceskeho Svycarska should
not be forgotten. All the big teams have their focus on the
Giro Rosa but Tibco is over from the United States and a
number of the smaller UCI teams are here along with quite a
few club teams.
2014 Results
1 Brianna WALLE
2 Martina SABLIKOVA +50
3 Vera KOEDOODER +1:10
4 Amy CHARITY +1:25
5 Ingrid LORVIK +1:57
6 Henriette WOERING +2:52
7 Mirthe WAGENAAR +3:12
8 Alexandra NESSMAR +3:41
9 Roos HOOGEBOOM +4:11
10 Abigail MICKEY +4:23
Stage 1 Ingrid LORVIK
Stage 2 Iris VAN DER STELT
Stage 3 Martina SABLIKOVA
Stage 4 Winanda SPOOR
Stage 5 Brianna WALLE
Past Winners
2014 - Brianna Walle
2013 - Amy Cure
2012 - Larisa Pankova
2011 - Amanda Spratt
2010 - Trixi Worrack
2009 - Alexandra Burchenkova
2008 - Angela Brodtka-Hennig
2007 - Hanka Kupfernagel
2006 - Theresa Senff
2005 - Tina Liebig
2004 - Trixi Worrack
2003 - Valentyna Karpenko
The Route
Stage 1 Krasna Lipa - Krasna Lipa
(118.7km)
Stage 2 Jirikov - Jirikov (91km)
Stage 3 Krasna Lipa ITT (14.6km)
Stage 4 Rumburk - Rumburk (71.6km)
Stage 5 Varnsdorf - Krasna Lipa
(98.5km)
The Contenders
Start list available
here
Lauren Stephens
Has been the dominant rider in the American UCI stage races
this year. Won the time trial at the Tour Femenino de San Luis
and finished second overall, won both the time trial and
overall at Joe Martin Stage Race, again won the time trial
before finishing third overall at the Tour of the Gila. Second
in the Tour of California Time Trial, 4th at the US National
Championship and 5th Chrono de Gatineau before putting in a
solid ride at the Women's Tour. The favourite to take the time
trial and is backed by the strongest team in the race and
shouldn't have any trouble on the climbs. Short of any bad
luck Stephens is the name to watch for the overall.
Martina Ritter
Ritter has twice finished third overall here in 2012 and 2013.
After riding the Giro Rosa last year Ritter returns and will
be looking to finally find the top step of the podium. Time
trial and road race Champion of Austria has had a consistent
season with 12th overall at Gracia Orlova and sixth at
Auensteiner- Radsporttage. A strong time trialist who will be
one to watch in the ITT but also handles undulating terrain
well.
Rebecca Mackey
A name those in Europe might not be familiar with but Mackey
is the reigning Australian and Oceania under 23 time trial
Champion. Mackey also finished fourth in the elite time trial
at the Australian National Championships in January and is a
rising star of Australian cycling. Mackey can handle
undulating roads reasonably well. Will be one of the top
favourites for the time trial and should gain quite a bit of
time there. If she can follow any dangerous moves on the road
stages could contend for the overall.
Janneke Ensing
After four years on what is now the Boels Dolmans squad Ensing
moved to the smaller Parkhotel Valkenburg team this year but
has been producing consistent results. Finished 2nd at
Gent-Wevelgem with three other top 10 finishes in one day
races. In stage races has been 16th Energiewacht Tour, 11th
Festival Luxembourgeois Elsy Jacobs but more recently fourth
at Auensteiner-Radsporttage. The field here is not quite as
strong as at Auensteiner-Radsporttage and if she can limit her
losses in the time trial should be able to regain some time
and challenge for the overall win.
Lucy Coldwell
Coldwell finished fourth at the British Time Trial
Championship last month and spends a lot of time racing the
Australian National Road Series. Won the Mersey Valley Tour
this year off the back of a strong time trial and then winning
one of the two hilly road stages. If she is on the form she
had at the British Championships will be contending for the
overall win.
Paulina Brzezna
Brzezna has twice finished in the top 10 overall in 2011 and
2013 and won the opening stage two years ago. A strong rider
especially on undulating terrain as we see in the road stages.
The 14.6km time trial is the problem for her and she is likely
to lose time on a number of the other contenders.
Joanne Hogan
After joining Tibco for 2015 Hogan has spent the first half of
the year racing in America with a number of top 20 finishes.
Hogan returns to Europe for a race she finished 10th in 2012.
A strong all rounder who can handle the climbs and put in a
solid time trial is a strong candidate for a top 10.
Tatiana Antoshina
Russian time trial champion Tatiana Antoshina is riding with
the Russian National Team but is not one who should be
discounted. Very strong against the clock and will be looking
to take advantage of the individual time trial. A former top
10 finisher at the Giro Rosa and the climbs are likely to see
her on the attack.
Other names to watch: Kendall Ryan, Rozanne Slik, Monique van
de Ree, Jarmila Machacova, Anabelle Dreville, Alexandra Nessmar and Hanka
Kupfernagel. |
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