The ladies’s peloton has accomplished a month of WorldTour racing in Spain at La Vuelta Femenina, Itzulia Girls and Vuelta a Burgos throughout Could, with many riders and groups travelling to the UK for the tenth version of the Tour of Britain Women.
The racing will happen within the north-east of England and Scotland between June 5-8, and for the primary time, head into Scotland with a finale in Glasgow, the place the sprinters and flatter stage racing specialists are anticipated to have their second to shine.
The peloton will cowl a complete of 423.6km with the opening two levels; a hilly affair from Dalby Forest to Redcar after which one other lumpy course from Hartlepool to Saltburn-by-the-Sea, earlier than heading to the south of Scotland for a leg within the Scottish Borders in Kelso, forward of the ultimate flat stage on a metropolis centre circuit in Glasgow.
Whereas there may be climbing concerned, the profiles seem to not be demanding sufficient to stop the sprinters from excelling on this four-day race, and even the more difficult ascents are seemingly suited to the breakaway specialists and quicker all-rounders.
Cyclingnews highlights just some of the riders who may make an affect on each stage victories and within the total classification.
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime)
Defending champion Lotte Kopecky has opted to not return to the Tour of Britain Girls this season as she prepares for her goal on the Tour de France Femmes in July. Nevertheless, SD Worx-Protime have a possible stage and total winner in her teammate Lorena Wiebes.
Wiebes has confirmed to be one of many quickest sprinters within the WorldTour, in addition to a robust climber throughout hilly terrain, typically amongst breakaways and decreased choices that enter the finals in a number of the greatest races.
Wiebes has gained two levels of this occasion in 2021 and three extra levels within the 2022 version, in addition to one other stage win final 12 months, the place she completed tenth total whereas using in assist of Kopecky.
This 12 months, Wiebes will lead the staff, supported by Barbara Guarischi, Femke Markus, Marta Lach, Julia Kopecky, and Skylar Schneider.
Elisa Balsamo & Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek)
Lidl-Trek line up with a robust staff led by their sprinter Elisa Balsamo, however with a robust second card to play in Anna Henderson, who completed second total in final 12 months’s version.
The staff may also embody Lizzie Deignan, who will retire on the finish of this season, in addition to Lucinda Model and Emma Norsgaard.
Balsamo has had an excellent 12 months, to this point, with 4 victories, together with a win at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, and podium finishes at Brugge-De Panne, Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen.
She just lately competed in a collection of occasions in Spain, culminating within the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas, the place she completed second to Lorena Wiebes on the opening stage and fourth on stage 2, showcasing her enhancing type as she heads into the late-sprint and early-summer stage racing season.
Henderson skilled one of many strongest seasons of her profession in 2024, taking second total on the Tour of Britain, profitable the nationwide time trial title, after which securing the silver medal within the time trial on the Paris Olympics.
She hasn’t had the identical degree of success to this point this 12 months, however was just lately part of the Lidl-Trek staff that gained the opening staff time trial at La Vuelta Femenina and can seemingly have been coaching particularly for her house Tour of Britain.
Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez)
A course that would effectively swimsuit Ally Wollaston, look ahead to her to take a number one function for FDJ-Suez in Britain.
The New Zealander is in her first season with the French outfit and has already secured three wins at Surf Coast Traditional, Cadel Evans Highway Race, and Classica de Almeria, all hilly one-day races.
She has been in a position to switch that success into the Spring Classics, incomes an eighth place at Gent-Wevelgem. Extra just lately, she demonstrated her versatility with a sixth place on stage 2 and a 3rd place on stage 6 at La Vuelta Femenina, gained by her teammate Demi Vollering.
After a brief break from Spanish racing, she arrives on the Tour of Britain to check her legs in a management place with assist from riders like Amber Kraak, Vittoria Guazzini and Jade Wiel.
Zoe Bäckstedt & Chiara Consonni (Canyon-Sram Zondacrypto)
Zoe Bäckstedt will probably be proper at house on the Tour of Britain, and like Henderson, in all probability coaching particularly for this occasion.
The 20-year-old had a breakout season final 12 months, profitable a stage on the Simac Women Tour and taking third total in her first season with Canyon-SRAM.
After a profitable cyclocross marketing campaign wherein she gained the under-23 world title, Bäckstedt returned to street racing for the Spring Classics, the place she completed fifteenth at Paris-Roubaix. She has just lately competed on the Vuelta a Burgos earlier than returning to house roads on the Tour of Britain.
Canyon-SRAM even have a robust sprinter in Chiara Consonni, who’s greater than able to securing stage wins and gives her staff one other card to play for the final classification.
Ruby Roseman-Gannon & Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)
Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Letizia Paternoster made a terrific staff final 12 months, the place each completed within the high 10 total on the Tour of Britain. It was a memorable second for Roseman-Gannon, who additionally secured her first WorldTour victory in Manchester.
Paternoster had a extra constant strategy to the occasion, ending second, fourth, and eighth within the first three levels and fifth total.
Each riders return with Liv-AlUla-Jayco, and with a course well-suited to their expertise as hilly, one-day racing specialists, whose power transfers properly to the flatter summer season stage races.
Paternoster enters this race with good type, having completed on the rostrum within the first two levels of La Vuelta Femenina and carrying the purple chief’s jersey for a day earlier than transferring right into a assist function for her teammate, Monica Trinca Colonel.
Cat Ferguson (Movistar)
Cat Ferguson is in her first 12 months of racing on the WorldTour with Movistar and has already turned heads together with her third place at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, ninth at Brabantse Pijl, three top-10s at La Vuelta Femenina, adopted by a victory at Navarra Traditional.
After taking three weeks to recuperate and put together for the summer season season, Ferguson is again on house roads able to shine on the Tour of Britain.
She could have assist from extra skilled riders, corresponding to Floortje Mackaij and Aude Biannic, however the staff is basically comprised of youthful riders, together with Laura Ruiz Pérez and Lucia Ruiz Pérez.
Ferguson clearly has the power to compete among the many finest on even the hardest of hilly terrain, and is in a great place to maneuver right into a management function at this four-day race.
Kimberley Le Court docket (AG Insurance coverage-Soudal)
Kimberley Le Court has proven no indicators of slowing down as she constantly claims the largest outcomes of her profession over the past two seasons.
Most just lately, she gained the Liège-Bastogne-Liège Monument, her earlier race earlier than lining up on the Tour of Britain.
Nevertheless, that victory was not shocking, because the Mauritian champion had put forth robust performances earlier within the spring, with a fifth-place end at Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders, a sixth-place end at Flèche Wallonne, and a ninth-place end at Trofeo Alfredo Binda. She was additionally third total on the UAE Tour Girls.
She had her breakout season final 12 months with a victory in L’Aquila on the Giro d’Italia.
Le Court docket will as soon as once more lead the AG Insurance coverage-Soudal staff with assist from Gladys Verhulst-Wild, Anya Louw, Julia Borgström and Fauve Bastiaenssen.
Charlotte Kool (Picnic-PostNL)
Charlotte Kool has had highlights early within the season, together with a runner-up end within the opening stage of the UAE Tour, together with two podiums at Gent-Wevelgem and Scheldeprijs. Nevertheless, she hasn’t raced for the reason that finish of the Classics season at Paris-Roubaix.
Her type is perhaps a query mark, however as one of many quickest sprints within the peloton, she is probably going making ready for larger targets later in the summertime. It’s secure to imagine that this Picnic-PostNL rider will probably be utilizing the Tour of Britain to search out her profitable legs.
Picnic-PostNL additionally carry British rider Josie Nelson, who will need to carry out effectively on house soil, whereas Megan Jastrab and Rachele Barbieri will seemingly be supporting Kool. Esmée Peperkamp and Mara Roldan will be capable of take a look at their legs on the climbs and within the breakaways.
Kristen Faulkner (EF Training-Oatly)
Recent off of her victory on the USA Professional Highway Championships, Kristen Faulkner will as soon as once more line up in her stars-and-stripes jersey for an additional season.
It has been a tricky season for the double Olympic Champion, who suffered a concussion after crashing in the course of the winter months, and she or he was pressured to begin her season later than typical at Milan-San Remo.
It hasn’t taken her lengthy to get again to profitable, placing on a present of power on the Nationwide Championships in Charleston final weekend, the place she gained a three-way dash towards Lauren Stephens and Katherine Sarkisov to take the victory.
That end result, mixed with second place within the particular person time trial, will undoubtedly give some confidence to Faulkner as she heads into the stage racing season.
