Women's Cycling Weekly issue 54
A weekly curation of women's cycling news and content straight to your inbox
Hello! Welcome to Women’s Cycling Weekly issue 54 🚴♀️
Cross is (basically) over and road season is (kind of) upon us!
It seems there are approximately 4951 men’s stage races occurring at the moment but the women don’t start until Valencia this Sunday — and even then it’s just one day. Of course, some will say that the ‘traditional’ season didn’t used to get underway until Omloop het Nieuwsblad and that nobody really cares about these early season races anyway but with all of this action going on for the men I’m itching to see the peloton full of ‘beachy fade’ out in force.
Until then, at least we have straight-up bombshells getting dropped in virtual team launches and press conferences like Chantal van den Broek Blaak doing a u-turn on her retirement to keep us entertained. Oh, and some absolutely infuriating comments from our mate over at the UCI:
Sorry mum.
Read on to find out what else is kicking off!
Amy x
News 📰
New development team Canyon-SRAM Generation have confirmed the eight riders who will make up their roster in 2022. The team includes riders from Namibia, Sierra Leone and Malaysia, as well as other countries underrepresented in the peloton.
Lots of contract news at SD Worx: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio has confirmed she will retire at the end of 2022; Chantal van den Broek-Blaak will now not retire this year and continue to 2024; and Demi Vollering has signed a three-year contract extension.
Plantur Pura’s Imogen Cotter was hospitalised after being hit by a driver whilst training in Spain. She suffered a fractured wrist and a broken patella.
The UCI have confirmed the dates for the inaugural combined World Championships in 2023. Rainbow jerseys will be awarded in 13 different disciplines from the 3rd-13th August in Glasgow.
Aged 18-24, or know somebody who is, and looking to take racing further? Applications for the ŠKODA DSI Cycling Academy are now open. Described as: “a year-long programme dedicated to offering female riders guidance, insight and experience in the sport of Cycling. The programme offers mentorship by Team GB's most successful Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, and a host of money-can’t-buy opportunities to support your cycling journey.” Click here to find out more.
Results 🏆
CX
X2O Trofee Hamme - Flandriencross
Lucinda Brand
Shirin van Anrooij
Denise Betsema
UCI World Cup Hoogerheide (Rnd 15)
Marianne Vos
Lucinda Brand
Puck Pieterse
Overall:
Lucinda Brand (432 pts)
Denise Betsema (361 points)
Puck Pieterse (350 pts)
Fem van Empel (315 pts)
Marianne Vos (254 pts)
UCI World Championships Fayetteville 🌈
Junior: 🥇 Zoe Backstedt (GBR) 🥈 Leonie Bentveld (NED) 🥉 Lauren Molengraaf (NED)
U23: 🥇 Puck Pieterse (NED) 🥈 Shirin van Anrooij (NED) 🥉 Fem van Empel (NED)
Elite: 🥇 Marianne Vos (NED) 🥈Lucinda Brand (NED) 🥉 Silvia Persico (ITA)
Road
Santos Festival of Cycling
Stage 1: Emily Watts (KOS)
Stage 2: Maeve Plouffe (ACA)
Stage 3: Ruby Roseman-Gannon (BEX)
Overall:
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (BEX)
Nicole Frain (RXS)
Maeve Plouffe (ACA)
Upcoming Races 📆
Sunday 6th February - Vuelta CV Feminas.
Race preview here. Watch on GCN+ and Eurosport from 11:00 CET.
Read 🗞️
A chat with multi-disciplinary supertalent, Kata Blanka Vas.
…speaking of whom: here’s a list of some of the young whipper-snappers to watch.
A full guide to the 2022 WWT season!
Paracyclist and skier Oksana Masters is heading into her third Winter Paralympics.
“Cyclist Denise Mueller-Korenek and race car driver Shea Holbrook performed the ultimate version of this test back in 2018 when they broke the world record for paced bicycle land speed with 183.9 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats.” This is a fascinating read found by Queen Tildz.
Demi Vollering knows what it will take to win the Tour de France Femmes.
“Was the women's cycling boom of Covid lockdown about more than quiet roads?”
Listen 🎧
SO. MANY. PODCASTS. Honestly, where are all of these on those weeks when I’m out here loyally plugging nothing but Freewheeling and feeling like a self-promoting idiot?
Anyway, so obviously first you have to listen to BOTH episodes of the aforementioned; one with Gracie on the ground (great name for a segment) at the TDU, and one with the usual crew chatting all things cross worlds and more.
The Cycling Podcast Féminin is back with a season preview and Rose returns from a maternity break (congrats!)
Next, it’s newly-crowned British champ Pffeifer Georgi chatting to The TT Podcast.
Good news if you love British accents because here’s some more: Matt Stephen’s chats to Joss Lowden on turning pro “in the nick of time”.
That’s all 👋
Thanks for reading Women’s Cycling Weekly, I hope you have had a lovely weekend.
If you liked what you read you can buy WCW a ‘coffee’ on Ko-Fi.
Until next time!