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Get your week started with the latest news in women’s cycling

The UCI has released its annual report, stating that numerous advances have been made. The document advises that the UCI has continued to make progress in areas such as the representation of women in sport and governance, and the protection of members of the cycling community from harassment and other forms of abuse.

In a separate report, the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games qualification system for cycling has been published. More starting places for women’s races than previously have been allocated, but only four riders per country can be at the start.

The Simac Ladies Tour has revealed the route for this year’s race. The first three stages will be relatively flat and offer something for the sprinters, while the last three stages require climbing abilities.

Danish champion Riejanne Markus had to abandon the Giro Donne due to an injury sustained in a crash on stage 5. She will now recover and then prepare for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Cuban champion Arlenis Sierra of Movistar Team was also involved in a crash on stage 6 and had to abandon the race. Clara Koppenburg of Team Cofidis sustained a hip fracture on stage 8 and was forced to leave the race. Best wishes to all these riders for a speedy recovery.

Marianne Vos, who won two stages at this year’s Giro Donne, taking her all time total to 32 wins at this event, left the race in order to focus on the team’s next goals.

Australian road race champion Nicole Frain has joined Team Parkhotel Valkenburg mid-season and will race for the Dutch team through to the end of 2023. Her first race for the team will be The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Bad luck for BikeExchange-Jayco in Italy: Amanda Spratt had to abandon the Giro Donne due to a Covid infection and Georgia Baker, a close contact, was also unable to start stage 8.

The date of the Giro Donne could be moved from its usual July slot as soon as next year to increase the visibility of the race. The UCI is in discussions with the Italian race’s organiser to move the race for next season so that the event doesn’t clash with the men’s Tour de France or encroach upon other races on the women’s racing calendar.

Results

Junior and U23 European Championships
U23 TT: Shirin van Anrooij (NED) ahead of Vittoria Guazzini (ITA) and Marie Le Net (FRA)
Junior ITT: Justyna Czapla (GER) ahead of Eglantine Rayer (FRA) and Febe Jooris (BEL)

Zwift Blog

Giveaway

Here comes the Future Podcast p/b Liv

This week in cycling history

Connie Paraskevin-Young

The American former sprinter turned 61 on 4 July. She’s a four-time world champion and five-time Olympian (3 times in cycling and 2 times in speed skating) and a ten-time national sprint champion. She was the only American to win a cycling medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, and was ranked top 3 in the world for over 10 years. After her retirement in 1996, she became a motivational speaker and coach and founded the Connie Cycling Foundation. This organisation aims to bring children and families of all backgrounds and abilities together through cycling, providing opportunities for education, competition, and development.

Francesca Galli

Galli turned 61 on 5 July. The most notable achievements of the Italian include winning the national road title in 1979, winning Trofeo Alfredo Binda in 1980 as well as the team time trial at the World Championships in Ronse in 1988.