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  Women's WorldTour Ronde van Drenthe Preview  
     
  The Women's World Tour continues with the Ronde van Drenthe in the Netherlands. Jolien D'hoore returns with her Wiggle High5 squad that has four of the top 10 last year including runner up Amy Pieters and former winner Emma Johansson.

While Wiggle High5 are clearly the team to beat world champion Lizzie Armitstead will have something to say about it as she hopes to make it three from three in 2016 and extender her series lead. The likes of Rabo, Canyon SRAM, Orica-AIS and Bigla all have strong teams that will hope to impact the race.

2015 Results

1 Jolien D'HOORE
2 Amy PIETERS +0
3 Eleonora VAN DIJK +0
4 Lucinda BRAND +0
5 Chloe HOSKING +0
6 Tiffany CROMWELL +0
7 Elizabeth ARMITSTEAD +3
8 Emma JOHANSSON +3
9 Marta TAGLIAFERRO +3
10 Barbara GUARISCHI +3

Past Winners

2015 - Jolien D'hoore
2014 - Elizabeth Armitstead
2013 - Marianne Vos
2012 - Marianne Vos
2011 - Marianne Vos
2010 - Loes Gunnewijk
2009 - Emma Johansson
2008 - Chantal Beltman
2007 - Adrie Visser

The Route

In traditional Dutch style the course is almost completely flat with one notable exception the manmade VAMBerg. At 380m it is short but it is steep as well with an average gradient of 9.7% having started off at 14%

The first ascent comes after just 10.2km and is unlikely to play a major impact in the race but the two ascents in the final 40 kilometres are likely to present opportunities. The Second climb comes with 35.7km to go and the third and final just seven kilometres later with 28.6km remaining.

With nearly 30 kilometres to go the final time over the VAMBerg there is time for the sprinters to regroup but if the right combination is able to escape they could stay away to contest the finish.

The Contenders

Start list available here

Jolien D'hoore and Wiggle High5

If you look at the top 10 from last year four of the top 10 ride for Wiggle this year. Defending champion Jolien D'hoore comes in looking to make it two in a row and runner up Amy Pieters has joined the team giving them another strong option. Sprinter Chloe Hosking (fifth last year) and 2009 winner Emma Johansson (eighth last year) give the team options. That is before you add Giorgia Bronzini and Elisa Longo Borghini who are both very capable.

For D'hoore it will be her first road race of the season following the Track World Championships where she finished fourth in the scratch race and sixth in the omnium. Showed last year she is arguably the best sprinter in the world at the moment but can get over the hillier terrain as well. With less than a week since the Track World Championships can she perform on the road immediately. If she is delivered to the line the way she was last year will be hard to beat.

While many eyes will be on the defending champion they have other cards to play with Emma Johansson and Elisa Longo Borghini capable of launching long range moves. While in a sprint Bronzini, Hosking and Pieters could just as easily wind up on top.

Lizzie Armitstead and Boels Dolmans

Armitstead is two for two this season including winning the first Women's World Tour event last weekend Strade Bianche. Going for three in a row and based on her current form she could well do it. The past two years have seen Armitstead develop in to the best one-day rider in the world culminating in her world title at the end of last year. While she would probably prefer a hillier course expect her to attack and try and break the group. Short steep climbs like the VAMBerg suit her perfectly. Even if it comes back to a sprint Armitstead will still be one of the top riders to watch with her quick sprint.

Chantal Blaak finished second to Armitstead at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad before winning Le Samyn des Dames. A strong rider for the classics with a strong sprint but will need to try and eliminate the sprinters if she wants to win. With Armitstead don't be surprised to see Blaak go on the attack forcing others to chase while Armitstead sits on.

Watch for Nikki Harris who has been strong in her first full season and while is likely to play a support role is a wildcard.

Canyon SRAM

A team with six options to play. Tiffany Cromwell had a strong Australia summer and showed she is back to her old form with a third place finish at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. For years it was said Cromwell couldn't sprint but that is something she has been working on and has improved. Not going to trouble the pure sprinters but can win from a select group. Her last six results here have been 11, DNF, 14, 9, 12 and 6 in a sign the race is one suited to her.

Italian Champion Elena Cecchini has big hopes for this season and after competing at the Track World Championships is back on the road looking for success. A strong rider who handles the classics well and packs a strong finish. Will be looking to improve on her 14th of last year but might have to support Cromwell.

Lisa Brennauer and Alena Amialiusik will be strong cards for the team to chase or make moves themselves. Alexis Ryan in her first season on a European team has been impressive and Trixi Worrack never a name to discount.

Lucinda Brand

After finishing sixth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and fifth at Omloop van het Hageland expect the Dutch Champion to be challenging for the win on home roads. Just missed the podium last year in fourth and will want to correct that this time. Packs a strong finish from a more select group and will need to find a way to escape without the sprinters.

Anna Van der Breggen is another card for the team to play with her attacking style.

Orica-AIS

Dutch powerhouse Annemiek Van Vleuten has finished in the top 10 on three occasions including second in 2010 and will be hoping to take her first win in Orica-AIS colours. 12th at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, 6th at Omloop van het Hageland and 7th at Strade Bianche show she comes in with good form. Packs a good finish but expect to see her attack up the VAMBerg and try and go solo or with a small group.

Gracie Elvin has been on excellent form since arriving in Europe on the attack at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Omloop van het Hageland and while she may not have come away with a result expect her to try the tactic again knowing she has some strong options behind. Lizzie Williams and Loren Rowney both pack a strong sprint and will be names to watch at the finish.

Lauren Kitchen

Kitchen picked up 2016 where she left off last season with fifth at the national championships and sixth at the Santos Women's Tour before she returned to Europe with a stop through Qatar. After strong results at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Omloop van het Hageland Kitchen finished ninth at Le Samyn and ninth again last weekend at Strade Bianche. A rider who was dramatically improved the past 12 months and with the ability to climb well could be in the mix.

Shelley Olds and Valentina Scandolara

Olds has twice finished in the top 10 including third two years ago and will be hoping to repeat that performance again. Olds is always consistent as we see with the results. Had a very busy start to the year with second at the Santos Women's Tour, 11th in Qatar before fifth and sixth respectively at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Omloop van het Hageland. Climbs well for a sprinter as 17th last week at Strade Bianche shows. While she is often in contention she lacks that top speed the pure sprinters have. If she hopes to beats the likes of D'hoore and Armitstead will need for everything to go 100% right.

Scandolara is a rider who likes to attack and will be a valuable rider for the team. Don't be surprised to see the Italian go on the attack looking to shake the race up. Her track background gives her a quick sprint who can finish it off in a select group sprint.

Leah Kirchmann

After riding predominantly in the United States Kirchmann has made the move to Europe with Liv Plantur this year and has already impressed. In her first European race of the season she finished fourth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad before finishing the podium in second at Omloop van het Hageland the following day. A strong showing with 10th at Strade Bianche shows she is a rider for the one-day classics. Rode the race back in 2010 and 2011 with a DNF and 85th respectively but with the form she has been showing expect a big improvement on that.

Lotta Lepisto

While the champion of Finland hasn't finished the past two years don't discount her because of that. 2015 saw big improvements from Lepisto particularly in some of the harder races. Packs a quick finish from a select group and was beating the likes of Emma Johansson in sprint finishes. If she can get over the VAMBerg the final time with the front group expect to see her in contention for a strong result, maybe not the podium but a top 10 is defiantly possible.

Marta Bastianelli

The former world champion Bastianelli took something of an upset win at Omloop van het Hageland at the end of February and will be hoping to sprint another surprise.

Other names to watch: Roxane Fournier, Coryn Rivera, Eugenia Bujak, Floortje Mackaij and Joanne Kiesanowski.
 
 
         
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