The SD Worx lead out: the most reliable train in the UK
+ is Elisa Longo Borghini heading to UAE next year? 👀
Hello lovely subscribers and welcome to Women’s Cycling Weekly! 🚴♀️
This week the SD Worx winning streak travels from Spain to the UK with RideLondon and three days of sprinter’s paradise that have Lorena Wiebes’ name written all over them. Stage one is already in the bag for Wiebes and the team and with Lotte Kopecky in the role of last woman the Dutch rider won by an (English) country mile.
Stage two might break up like in 2023 but if so it will simply become a job for Kopecky. Either way the team look set to take a clean sweep and this seems especially likely since defending champion Charlotte Kool, Wiebes’ nearest rival, isn’t looking anywhere near her usual self. The sprinters have been a bit all over the place this season, no?
Where was Wiebes this time last year? At Thüringen with an SD Worx squad who took it in turns to win each stage and take a GC podium sweep. Perhaps this year they realised that if they’re going to take the p*ss they’d better do it at a WWT level race.
Something that promises to be (dare I say more) exciting this weekend is the third round of the cross country MTB World Series at Nové Město na Moravě — details of the races and how to tune in below!
Enjoy the newsletter and see you next week,
Amy x
News 📰
Elisa Longo Borghini is rumoured to be moving to UAE Team ADQ for 2025.
The teams have been confirmed for the Tour of Britain Women, including four WorldTour teams.
Lidl-Trek confirmed that Elisa Balsamo underwent surgery on Tuesday to treat fractures to her nasal bones and hand.
Form British pro Lizzy Banks announced this week that she has spent the last nine and a half months fighting a positive test from UK Anti-Doping. She has since been cleared of all wrongdoing and will face no sanction. She explained it all on a blog post on her website and hopes that her case will prevent others from undergoing similar experiences.
Read 🗞️
Vollering Proves She's On Track for Olympics, Tour de France Femmes - Velo
'It’s going to be hard but I will be a contender': Lizzie Deignan's plans for Paris - Cycling Weekly
Taylor Knibb is (almost) as surprised as you that she's racing the Olympic time trial - Escape Collective
‘Eight things your didn’t know about Kristen Faulkner’ - CyclingWeekly
'UK riders deserve something to aim for' - British women's team aims to join pro ranks in 2025 - Cycling Weekly
Watch 📺
Rob Warner, Emily Batty and Eliot Jackson are back for season 2 of Beyond the Line.
Listen 🎧
The Wheel Talk team are discussing the Vuelta a Burgos and some of the one-day races.
The Cycling Podcast Féminin is looking back on the recent Spanish stage racing.
Results 🏆
Road
Vuelta a Burgos Feminas (2.WWT)
Stage 3: Lorena Wiebes (SDW)
Stage 4: Demi Vollering (SDW)
Overall:
Demi Vollering (SDW)
Évita Muzic (FST)
Karlijn Swinkels (UAD)
Antwerp Port Epic Ladies (1.1)
Lara Gillespie (UDT)
Zoe Backstedt (CSR)
Babette van der Wolf (LPW)
GP Mazda Schelkens (1.1)
Martina Fidanza (WNT)
Daria Pikulik (HPH)
Sara Fiorin (UDT)
USA National RR Champs (NC)
Kristen Faulkner (EFC)
Ruth Edwards (HPH)
Coryn Labecki (EFC)
Bretagne Ladies Tour (2.1)
Stage 1 (ITT): Grace Brown (FST)
Stage 2: Sarah Roy (COF)
Stage 3: Grace Brown (FST)
Overall:
Grace Brown (FST)
Alessia Vigilia (FST)
Amber Kraak (FST)
RideLondon Classique (2.WWT)
Stage 1: Lorena Wiebes (SDW)
MTB
🇵🇱 UCI MTB World Cup: Bielsko-Biała, Poland DH #2
DH Junior: 🥇 Heather Wilson 🇬🇧 🥈 Erice van Leuven 🇳🇿 🥉 Sacha Earnest 🇳🇿
DH Elite: 🥇 Marine Cabirou 🇫🇷 🥈 Camille Balanche 🇨🇭 🥉 Nina Hoffmann 🇩🇪
🇨🇿 UCI MTB World Cup: Nové Město, Czech Republic XCC+XCO #3
XCC U23: 🥇 Isabella Holmgren 🇨🇦 🥈 Ella Maclean-Howell 🇬🇧 🥉 Madigan Munro 🇺🇸
Upcoming races 📆
Road
24th - 26th May: RideLondon Classique (2.WWT)
How to watch:
Live on Eurosport/Discovery+ from 14:15 CEST Saturday and 16:00 CEST Sunday.
Sunday 26th May: GP Ciudad de Eibar (1.Pro)
How to watch:
29th May - 1st June: Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Del Sol (2.1)
MTB
🇨🇿 UCI MTB World Cup: Nové Město, Czech Republic XCC+XCO #3
Saturday 25th May: XCC Elite and XCO U23
How to watch:
XCC Elite: Live on Eurosport, Discovery+ or Staylive from 10:00 CEST.
XCO U23: Live on Eurosport, Discovery+ or Staylive from 14:25 CEST.
Sunday 26th: XCO Junior and Elite
How to watch:
XCO Elite: Live on Eurosport, Discovery+ or Staylive from 9:45 CEST.
Friday fun 🕺
That’s all 👋
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Amy x
ELB to UAE? OMG!