You've got to love a bit of Binda
+ Ellen van Dijk is slaying in her post-baby return to racing
Hello lovely subscribers and welcome to Women’s Cycling Weekly! 🚴♀️
I refuse to get drawn in to the Milan - Sanremo debate this year (even though I kind-of did already on last week’s podcast). Instead, let’s focus on the race that 🫶 actually exists 🫶 and is happening this Sunday, Trofeo Alfredo Binda. I will, however, leave you with the results of this poll in which the good people of Lidl-Trek’s social media team asked, and the people answered. The results speak for themselves…
Anyway, this Sunday the peloton will line up in Cittiglio for the 48th (!!) edition of Trofeo Alfredo Binda. A race named after a bloke (!!!!) who won MSR (😱) and was nicknamed La Gioconda, or The Mona Lisa.
Lidl-Trek have taken the honours in the three most recent editions of the race, with Elisa Longo Borghini in 2021, Elisa Balsamo in 2022, and Shirin van Anrooij in 2023 — any of those three riders are well-positioned to win again this time around. There’s plenty of other teams, though, who will be keen to put an end to Lidl-Trek’s winning streak, not least the formidable SD Worx who very recently scored another victory in Italy at Strade Bianche.
As usual for this race, the outcome and the events of it will be just as unpredictable as the start list (it’s never updated until the 11th hour!)
Enjoy this week’s issue,
Amy x
News 📰
The race schedule for the Zurich World Championships has been released.
Read 🗞️
Sarah Gigante: It’s a dream compared to this time last year - GCN
'I'm horrendously competitive': Get to know GB track sprinter Sophie Capewell - Cycling Weekly
Rising US Star Megan Jastrab on Her Road Back from a Serious Crash - Velo
Embracing chaos and ‘aero’ chipped teeth to find first European podium – Lily Williams - Cyclingnews
'I've gone from gathering rocks on the bison farm to picking up the biggest rock of them all – Paris-Roubaix': Alison Jackson on her formative influences - Cycling Weekly
Watch 📺
Check out the incredible stuff women have been achieving on their mountain bikes this past year.
Listen 🎧
Gracey Hemstreet (WCW’s new fave) was on the Pinkbike Podcast last week.
The Wheel Talk team are talking about Ronde van Drenthe and the upcoming classics.
Results 🏆
Road
Ronde van Drenthe (1.WWT)
Lorena Wiebes (SDW)
Elisa Balsamo (LTK)
Puck Pieterse (FED)
Nokere Koerse (1.Pro)
Lotte Kopecky (SDW)
Lorena Wiebes (SDW)
Lily WIlliams (HPH)
Tour de Normandie Féminin (2.1)
Stage 1 (ITT):
Ellen van Dijk (LTK)
Riejanne Markus (TVL)
Lieke Nooijen (TVL)
Stage 2:
Sandra Alonso (WNT)
Thalita de Jong (LDL)
Maria Giulia Confalonieri (UXM)
Upcoming races 📆
Road
14th - 17th March: Tour de Normandie Féminin (2.1)
How to watch:
Sunday 17th March: Trofeo Alfredo Binda (1.WWT)
How to watch:
Thursday 21st March: Classic Brugge-De Panne (1.WWT)
How to watch:
Live on Eurosport/Discovery+ from 15:00 CET.
Startlist here.
Friday fun 🕺
Annemiek van Vleuten you will always be famous.
Learn more about the Tour de France trailblazer Marianne Martin on Human Powered Health’s Insta.
That’s all 👋
Thanks for reading Women’s Cycling Weekly! 💘
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Amy x
"A race named after a bloke (!!!!) who won MSR (😱) and was nicknamed La Gioconda, or The Mona Lisa."
What a strange story, I had no idea. I learn something new every week from WCW!