Women's Cycling Weekly issue 64
A weekly curation of women's cycling news and content straight to your inbox
Hello! Welcome to Women’s Cycling Weekly issue 64 🚴♀️
Thanks to Tilda for this little insert on the WCW Google Doc (some BTS for ya)
It had been a pretty quiet week — which was absolutely fine by me, a very tired cycling journalist — until yesterday, when the fantastic news emerged that Amy Pieters has regained consciousness after four months in a coma. Then, today, the not-so-fantastic news that Annemiek van Vleuten has broken her wrist surfaced, leaving the Spanish races without their usual animator — which given her LBL form would surely have been quite the spectacle.
I’m really not ready for racing to be back on fully but it’s not up to me so on we go to this stage-race-heavy part of the calendar.
P.s: Spoiler for the podcast section but there was a very special guest on Freewheeling this week, and I’m not talking about my post-birthday hangover.
Amy x
News 📰
After more than 4 months in a coma, Amy Pieters has regained consciousness.
SD Worx said: “There is consciousness. This means that she can communicate slightly non-verbally. Amy recognizes people, understands what is being said and is able to carry out more and more assignments. Doctors cannot yet say what residual symptoms and remaining abilities Amy Pieters will have as a result of the brain injury.”
Annemiek van Vleuten has suffered a broken wrist after falling on a training ride. She had surgery on Thursday night but will miss the upcoming Spanish stage races.
British cyclocross rider Anna Kay has signed with Plantur Pura for the rest of the 2022 season.
The Tour of Scandinavia have announced Uno-X as the race’s new sponsor and revealed more details about the stages.
In a big interview with Wielerflits, UCI president David Lapparteint said there is an imbalance between the number of high-level riders and the current calendar. (TL;DR English version here)
Marta Cavalli will race the Giro Donne in July, the race organisers have confirmed. She’ll join Elisa Balsamo and Elisa Longo Borghini - who were confirmed as racing by Trek-Segafredo earlier in the year - as the race’s biggest Italian stars.
Het Nieuwsblad named Lotte Kopecky as their best Belgian rider of the spring (although no other female rider got a mention).
Riding in her first-ever UCI road race, MTB rider Jenny Rissveds took second on stage one of the Gracia Orlová race in the Czech Republic.
Results 🏆
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Annemiek van Vleuten (MOV)
Grace Brown (FDJ)
Demi Vollering (SDW)
Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs (2.Pro)
Prologue: Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma)
Tour of the Gila (2.2)
Stage 1: Krista Doebel-Hickok (TIB)
Stage 2: Lauren de Crescenzo (Cinch Rise)
Upcoming Races 📆
29th April-1st: Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs (2.Pro)
Watch on Eurosport/GCN
Stage 1 from 15.30 CET on Saturday
Stage 2 from 15.00 CET on Sunday
29th April-1st May: Tour of the Gila stages 3-5 (2.2)
3rd-7th May: Bretagne Ladies Tour (2.1)
3rd-5th May: Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia Ruta del Sol (2.1)
Read 🗞️
A great interview with crowd favourite Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig by Rachel Jary.
If you remember the ‘names your should know’ section I used to do in this newsletter a while ago then here’s a sort-of extended version.
Lizzy Banks on her year-long battle with concussion.
Annemiek van Vleuten on how the TDFF is already bringing about investment for women’s cycling.
Watch 📺
This video featuring Tiffany Cromwell for the Tour de France Femmes.
Listen 🎧
WHO is the special guest on this week’s Freewheeling I hear you ask? None other than the myth, the legend, MATILDA PRICE who joined Abby and I for a post LBL chat. I was mildly (but not in an unprofessional way, ok?) hungover after celebrating my birthday the night before so tg for Tilda as always x
That’s all 👋
Thanks for reading Women’s Cycling Weekly!
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Until next time!