Your news

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

Former Tour Down Under winner Valentina Scandolara has announced the creation of a Down Under Academy, which provides support for Australian and New Zealand riders who want to head over to Europe to race. The team will have DS support from Luisa Pegoraro, a former stage winner of the Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale and the Giro Rosa. The aim is for the team to compete in any available Italian open races and hopefully some UCI races in France and Switzerland if granted a wildcard.

The UAE Tour, which will be held next month, has released the profiles for its four stages, including three stages for the sprinters and one for GC riders that will take the peloton up to Jabel Hafeet.

In a recent move, AUSCycling has changed its selection policies for the World Championships to achieve increased fairness and participation. Selectors will now look beyond medal prospects. Athletes may be considered if their performances have the potential to inspire community participation or if they have strong leadership skills that could benefit the team.

During the recent Team SD Worx team presentation, Belgian cycling star Lotte Kopecky expressed doubts over her appearance at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Qualifications for the 2024 Olympics on the track are a very important part of her program, and the Worlds track events are only four days after the French stage race finishes. This would mean a very tight schedule that could be too strenuous. Kopecky would not be the only rider who will be affected by this scheduling of events.

The UCI has modified its rules with regards to ITTs. Vehicles following the riders must now remain at least 25m behind the rider (previously 10 metres). This new rule “aims to ensure that the results of time trials are not influenced by the proximity of the rider to the following vehicle and thus to guarantee the sporting fairness of the competition and increase rider safety.”

The UCI and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced the new UCI Mountain Bike World Series, which will include the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup for cross-country Olympic (XCO), cross-country short track (XCC), cross-country marathon (XCM), downhill (DHI), enduro (EDR) and E-enduro (E-EDR). The UCI Mountain Bike World Series will also provide opportunities for amateurs and those seeking to break onto the elite stage. Amateur XCM, EDR and E-EDR racing at some events will enable amateurs to compete alongside the elite and gain competition experience.

A recent decision to disqualify a rider at the men’s Tour Down Under may have implications for the women’s peloton as well. A rider was involved in a crash and took time to be checked for concussion. He then proceeded to return to the field behind the team cars. Following from that, he was disqualified from the race for his actions. Although riders need to have concussion tests, the UCI has not legislated a way for this to happen, possibly discouraging riders from having these important checks when required.

A study commissioned by British Cycling has shown the rising popularity of off-road e-bikes and electric mountain bikes, while also highlighting the need for improvements to cycling infrastructure and more inclusive policies to enable more people to benefit from this growing activity. Mental health was cited as the biggest benefit of riding e-MTB’s. Particularly women were looking for social rides with the preferred location being trail centres. However, cost and lack of inclusivity were cited as the main barriers to participation. The full report is available here.

The UCI’s COVID protocol for riders, team staff and race organisers has been updated to reflect the current situation. Testing and isolation requirements have been reduced accordingly.

Results

CX championships 2023
Great Britain: Zoe Bäckstedt
The Netherlands: Puck Pieterse
France: Helen Clauzel
Spain: Lucia Gonzalez Blanco
Switzerland: Alessandra Keller
Hungary: Kata Blanca Vas
Luxembourg: Marie Schreiber
USA: Clara Honsinger

Tour Down Under
Stage 2: Alex Manly (Team Jayco-Alula) ahead of Georgia Williams (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and Nina Buijsman (Human Powered Health)
Stage 3: Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope) ahead of Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) and Georgia Williams
GC: Grace Brown ahead of Amanda Spratt and Georgia Williams

Vox Performance Project

“Despite my heart wanting to be out in the fresh air, enjoying sunrises with coffee and cake stops, my anxiety was holding me back.” Find out how the Vox Performance Project has helped Ally regain her love of two wheels, in her latest blog.

Zwift Blog

In her latest blog, Megan Jastrab of Team DSM shares some things she wish she knew when she started racing. Some are simple concepts, but can sometimes be hard to accept, and she still reminds herself of them today. Have a read here.

This week in cycling history

Luigina Bissoli

Born on 21 January 1956, the retired Italian rider started cycling by chance, to lose some extra weight, but enjoyed it and became a versatile athlete, excelling both on the track and the road. At the age of 17, she won the national championships on the track in the sprint. In total, Bissoli won 13 national titles on the track and road, as well as two silver and two bronze medals at the road and track world championships. She achieved three world track records in the sprint over 200m, 500m and over 1000m in Milan in 1978. At the end of the 1981 season, the then 25 year old retired from active sport and opened a patisserie, which she ran until very recently.

Zwift Rides of the week

Tour de Zwift: The big tour to explore it all

It’s a new year and a brand new chance to ride, run, and explore as the global community tours the amazing worlds of Zwift. With multiple routes for each stage, this year’s Tour de Zwift is serving up multiple chances to ride more miles, unblock more badges and collect more Tour swag. So get ready to take off on a tour to explore the best and newest maps Zwift has to offer.  More information here!

From our online shop

Be Part of the Journey Mountain Hoodie – £45

Since the launch of Voxwomen, we have always used the message, “Be Part of the Journey.” Women’s cycling has been on a journey and the development of the sport continues. This mountain design links with this message and looks great on this relaxed hoodie. Wear before or after an event, and it will be sure to keep you warm. Get yours here!