What will the Tour of Britain bring?

+ a round the world record attempt and Pauline Ferrand Prevot is retiring from MTB

Hello lovely subscribers and welcome to Women’s Cycling Weekly! 🚴‍♀️

Well, RideLondon was…ridden. Not a whole lot to say other than the race — and Lorena Wiebes — delivered the expected outcome.

The WWT peloton will stay (they prob went home in between tbh as much as I like the idea of them sitting around in North Wales chowing down on Greggs) in the UK for the reincarnation of The Women’s Tour which is now the Women’s Tour of Britain. Except it’s not quite the whole WWT peloton, as with RideLondon a few teams are sitting this one out including Lidl-Trek, Movistar, and Visma | Lease a Bike. The GB team line-up, however, will comprise a cross section of British WWT talent with Lizzie Deignan at the helm. Starting in Welshpool, the four day race traverses North Wales before heading towards the final stage in Manchester (🫶). Let’s hope they manage to avoid bumping into any desperate politicians on the campaign trail.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this renewed version of the race goes and I hope it continues to thrive. We’re getting live coverage right….right?

Meanwhile, there’s a big gravel race going on this weekend across the pond, and the latest MTB XC World Cup to digest.

Enjoy this week’s newsletter!

Amy x

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News 📰

• Pauline Ferrand-Prévot confirmed that she will be retiring from mountain biking at the end of 2024.

• This week, Lael Wilcox set off on her around-the-world record attempt.

• After having to retire early due to heart issues, Anna Shackley has joined Alba Development Road Team as a sports director.

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Read 🗞️

• Lael Wilcox's race against time for the Around The World record - Escape Collective

• 200 Miles and 17-Years-Old: Alexis Jaramillo is Going the Distance at Unbound Gravel - Velo

• London Academy: Changing women's cycling for the better - Cyclingnews 

• RideLondon Classique wrap-up: No one can challenge Wiebes - Escape Collective  

• 'Being a good gravel racer is problem-solving' - Sarah Sturm on Unbound preparation, challenges in women's race - Cyclingnews

• Five rides that changed us: Tiff Cromwell and Valtteri Bottas - Escape Collective

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Watch 📺

Check out the trailer of Second to None, a documentary covering the Tour de France Femmes.

Watch the first sends of Hardline 2024, including the women hitting the iconic road gap.

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Listen 🎧

Rachel Jary kicks off Rouleur's new podcast, Beyond the Bike, by speaking with Demi Vollering.

 Geerike “Gee” Schreurs was on King of the Ride this week to talk about going from a soigneur to one of the fastest women in gravel.

ICYMI, Lizzy Banks has appeared on a few different podcasts over the past week or so talking about her awful 9-month-long saga with WADA and UKAD and being cleared of wrongdoing in a case of contamination that flagged up an Adverse Analytical Finding in an anti-doping test. She can explain things much better:

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Results 🏆

Road

RideLondon Classique (2.WWT)

Stage 2: Lorena Wiebes (SDW)

Stage 3: Lorena Wiebes (SDW)

Overall:

1. Lorena Wiebes (SDW)

2. Charlotte Kool (DFP)

3. Lotte Kopecky (SDW)

GP Ciudad de Eibar (1.Pro)

1. Yurani Blanco Calbet (LKF)

2. Usoa Ostolaza Zabala (LKF)

3. Henrietta Christie (HPH)

Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Del Sol (2.1)

Stage 1: Silke Smulders (LAJ)

Stage 2: Mavi Garcia (LAJ)

Stage 3: Ella Wyllie (LAJ)

MTB

🇨🇿 UCI MTB World Cup: Nové Město, Czech Republic XCC+XCO #3

XCC Elite: 🥇 Alessandra Keller 🇨🇭 🥈 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot 🇫🇷 🥉 Haley Batten 🇺🇸

XCO Junior: 🥇 Viktória Chladonová 🇸🇰 🥈 Rafaelle Carrier 🇨🇦 🥉 Maruša Tereza Šerkezi 🇸🇮

XCO U23: 🥇 Isabella Holmgren 🇨🇦 🥈 Madigan Munro 🇺🇸 🥉 Olivia Onesti 🇫🇷

XCO Elite: 🥇 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot 🇫🇷 🥈 Haley Batten 🇺🇸 🥉 Alessandra Keller 🇨🇭

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Upcoming races 📆  

Road

29th May - 1st June: Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Del Sol (2.1)

Sunday 2nd June: Alpes Gresivaudan Classic (1.1)

How to watch:

• Live on YouTube from 13:10 CEST.

• Startlist here.

Sunday 2nd June: Dwars door de Westhoek (1.1)

6th - 9th June: Tour of Britain Women (2.WWT)

How to watch:

• Live on Eurosport/Discovery+ or YouTube from 14:00 CEST on Thursday and Friday.

• Startlist here.

7th - 9th June: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.1)

MTB

Sunday 2nd June: Red Bull Hardline

How to watch:

• Live on Red Bull TV or YouTube from 15:30 CEST.

Rider list here.

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Friday fun 🕺

From Superfan to Soigneur 

This Barbie is riding Hardline!

Blowing bubbles 🫧

alessiopederiva_photo

A post shared by @alessiopederiva_photo

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That’s all 👋

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Amy x