It's all about Australia 🇦🇺

+ TCA survey results and some new and exciting transfers

Sep 16, 2022

Hello! Welcome to Women’s Cycling Weekly 🚴‍♀️

Everyone’s off down under (except us 😢) ready for worlds and not to sound like someone’s nan but AS IF it’s already mid-September — time flies!

Given the time differences and the general pandemonium around who can and can’t go, it’s looking like it could be a bit of a weird one this year. While the women’s peloton aren’t facing the same difficulties that the ‘relegation battle’ on the men’s side is causing, various logistical and financial barriers mean that some won’t be able to go. Also the time difference means that people in Europe face a v early morning if they want to catch the road races! (Aussies and Kiwis don’t @ me for complaining about this 🙃) On which note: read on for a v handy table with what time the races will be live in each time zone.

I’m getting ahead of myself anyway because there’s a whole TWO other issues of WCW between now and the women’s road race but the ITT is already taking place on Sunday (or is it Saturday, or Monday?) If, like me, you’ve barely had chance to even look at the courses yet then luckily there’s an ITT preview here written by the one and only Abby Mickey!

P.s if you like slightly wonky disposable camera photos of bike races then you’ll LOVE this week’s addish content for paid subscribers. ICYMI you can catch it here and if you haven’t yet then please consider supporting WCW by signing up!

Amy x

News 📰

The Tour Down Under revealed the route of the first women’s edition of the race. The three-stage race will feature a sprint stage, a punchy day, and a final-day challenge on Corkscrew Road.
The Cyclists’ Alliance released the results of their annual Rider Survey this week, revealing the extent of pay disparity that still remains in the peloton.
After Coryn Labecki was sidelined through injury, Heidi Franz has been added to the USA team for Worlds.
The crowdfunding project to set up a new Australian women’s team has reached its goal of $100,000 after a big anonymous donation.
The Tour of Scandinavia organisers have reported impressive viewing figures for this year’s race, estimating a combined total of 16 million viewers across platforms across the six day race.
Spain’s cycling governing body has revealed more details about the proposed minimum salary requirements for women’s UCI teams.
One of the teams that look ready to implement the new requirements is Laboral Kutxa, the Basque team who are now aiming at the WorldTour with a €1.8 million budget.
The Mountain Bike World Championships will be held in Valais, Switzerland in 2025.
AusCycling has revealed its kit for the Wollongong Worlds, a special take on the green and gold bands that features artwork by Chern’ee Sutton, a contemporary Indigenous artist from the Kalkadoon people.

AusCycling @AusCyclingAus

😍🇦🇺

A few transfers/extensions/retirements from this week (keep up here):
- Fem van Empel will join Jumbo-Visma in 2023, where she will mix road racing with cyclocross and MTB.
- Floortje Mackaij is following Liane Lippert to Movistar.
- Teniel Campbell will stay with BikeExchange-Jayco through 2024.
- Still recovering from iliac artery surgery, Tayler Wiles has re-signed with Trek-Segafredo, as has Elynor Backstedt.
- Former Zwift Academy winner Tanja Erath announced her retirement, after finding it hard to return to the peloton after a big crash.

Read 🗞️

(strap in bc there’s a lot this week!)

Our very own Tilda spoke to a WCW fav (I know, I know we’re not meant to have any…) Evie Richards about finishing on a high after a tumultuous season in the rainbow jersey.
On the MTB theme, Jess Blewitt unfortunately crashed and didn’t race RedBull Hardline last weekend, but she spoke to Pinkbike about being the first woman ever to attempt the huge features on the course.
Five conclusions from the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta.
…but did it live up to its Grand Tour expectations? Tilda thinks not.
The three solo moves that earnt Annemiek van Vleuten ‘the triple’.
What rainbow curse? Elisa Balsamo couldn’t stop winning this year (can she do it again in Aus? 👀)
A reminder of why women’s cycling needs a proper U23 category.
Veronica Ewers is ‘living is a nomad’ in her first full year racing in Europe.
How Australian rider Georgie Howes made the leap from rower to cyclist.
Why Beryl Burton was the best of the best - ‘Think Serena Williams beating Roger Federer’
Another WCW fave Marley Blonsky on her journey on the bike and why cycling needs more body inclusivity for all.
A deeper look at those huge viewing figures for the Tour of Scandinavia and what it means for women’s cycling.
Friend of the newsletter Rachel Jary turned gravel pro for the weekend - here’s how she and her BCM URS 01 got on.
🌈 Analysing the French, Australian and USA teams heading to Wollongong.
🌈 Six riders to watch in the time trial.
🌈 An interview with reigning junior champion Zoe Backstedt.
🌈 After a difficult year of injurires, Leah Thomas is ‘nervous excited’ about Sunday’s TT.
🌈 A big chat with British national champion Alice Towers ahead of her first World Champs.

Watch 📺

For the first time, the Movistar doco series The Least Expected Day features the women’s team too! Focusing mainly on Annemiek van Vleuten’s exploits in 2021, watch the new series on Netflix (content warning: men’s cycling 🤪)

Movistar Team @Movistar_Team

It's taken quite some time (apologies for that! 🙏), but #ElDíaMenosPensado's Season 3 is now available to viewers worldwide on @netflix. netflix.com/title/81130094

Listen 🎧

Cross is coming, and Maghalie Rochette’s podcast is back!

TCP Féminin is back with a big bumper episode:

And we talked about all things Ceratizit Challenge, and a few things Worlds (can’t escape it) on Freewheeling 🗣

Results 🏆

Road

Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta:

Stage 4: Silvia Persico (VAL)

Stage 5: Elisa Balsamo (TFS)

Overall:

Annemiek van Vleuten (MOV)
Elisa Longo Borghini (TFS)
Demi Vollering (SDW)

Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche:

Stage 5: Antonia Niedermaier (CSG)

Stage 6: Silvia Zanardi (BPK)

Stage 7: Coralie Demay (AUB)

Overall:

Antonia Niedermaier (CSG)
Loes Adegeest (IBC)
Paula Patiño (MOV)

A Travers les Hauts de France: 1. Mischa Bredewold (PHV) 2. Marie-Morgane Le Deunff (ARK) 3. Yuliia Biriukova (ARK)

La Choralis Fourmies Féminine: 1. Clara Copponi (FSF) 2. Valentina Basilico (BPK) 3. Maria Martins (LEW)

Grand Prix de Wallonie: 1. Julie De Wilde (PLP) 2. Justine Ghekiere (PLP) 3. Yara Kastelijn (PLP)

AG Tour de la Semois: 1. Mischa Bredewold (PHV) 2. Maria Confalonieri (WNT) 3. Eleonora Gasparrini (VAL)

Rás na mBan:

Stage 3: Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team)

Stage 4: Lara Gillespie (Ireland)

Stage 5: Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team)

Stage 6: Maddie Leech (CAMS-Basso)

Overall:

Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team)
Lieke van Zeelst (Greenmount CA)
Becky Storrie (CAMS-Basso)

Upcoming races 📆

Road

18th-25th September: 🌈 UCI Road World Championships, Wollongong, Australia 🇦🇺

Sunday 18th: elite ITT
- Preview here
Tuesday 20th: junior ITT
Wednesday 21st: mixed relay TT
Watch live on Eurosport, GCN+, BBC, FloBikes or SBS, depending on territory.
Not even going to try and put in all the different time zones (aka too early in Europe) but friend of the newsletter Sadhbh O’Shea has put together a handy guide. Thanks Sadhbh! 💘