Your news
Get your week started with the latest news in women’s cycling
The RCS has been awarded the next five editions of the U23 Giro, and from 2024 four editions of the elite Giro.
Emma Pooley has been inducted in the British Cycling Hall of Fame. A world and national champion, she won a series of stage and one-day races before scaling down her cycling career to complete her PhD in Geotechnical Engineering. Following that, she went back to competitive racing as well as winning duathlon championships events.
This distance of the third edition of the Paris Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift has been lengthened to 145.4 km from the previous 124.7 km in 2022. Two distinct loops on windswept roads near the beginning of the course will add almost 20km to its total distance. More details can be found here.
NBC Sports, Peacock and the ASO have announced a 6-year extension for exclusive U.S. media rights, which includes the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. More information can be found here.
Trek-Segafredo and Elisa Balsamo have agreed to a long-term contract extension which will see the Italian champion race for the team through 2026, by which time she will have spent five seasons racing for the squad. 2023 will be a busy year for her, as she is also gradating from the University of Turin with a degree in modern literature.
UCI Women’s Continental Team DAS-Handsling, formerly known as CAMS-Basso, begins a new chapter this season. Evil Eye will be equipping the team with the new Roadsense performance sunglasses, which protect the eyes against disruptive influences.
The family of Moriah Wilson, who was tragically killed on 11 May last year, is organising “Ride for Mo” to celebrate and remember her life. The event will be organised in her hometown in Vermont with the hope that this will become an annual fundraiser supporting various activities in the area.
Team SD Worx has provided an update on Amy Pieters, who has unfortunately suffered a number of setbacks. Several epileptic seizures slowed down her recovery and affected her mobility. Amy’s treatment will be adjusted in assisting her to work on the next steps of her rehabilitation. We wish her all the best in her recovery.
Fem van Empel has taken her first win in the rainbow jersey, and the newly-crowned world champion certainly took her fifteenth victory of the season in style. Read more here.
The Amstel Gold Race has added 28km and two more climbs to its route for 2023. The early part of the race will have an extra loop towards Sittard-Geleen, and riders will have to contend with the final 18km circuit that includes the Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg and Cauberg four times instead of three.
The organisers of the La Vuelta Feminina has announced that the race will begin along the Costa Blanca coastline in Spain on 1 May. The exact location of the opening stage has not been revealed as the full course will made public on 28 February.
Results
Setmana Ciclista Valenciana
Stage 1: Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) ahead of Lotta Henttala (AG Insurance Soudal-Quickstep) and Coryn Labecki (Team Jumbo-Visma)
Stage 2: Elisa Balsamo ahead of Lotta Henttala and Megan Jastrab (Team DSM)
Stage 3: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quickstep) Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) and Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team)
UCI Esports World Championships: Loes Adegeest (NDL) ahead of Zoe Langham (GBR) and Jacqui Godbe (USA)
Exact Cross Sint Niklaas: Annemarie Worst ahead of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Lucinda Brand (all NED)
X20 Trofee Brussels: Fem van Empel ahead of Lucinda Brand and Annemarie Worst (all NED)
Vox Performance Project
“Not being on the same page as your body is really hard for any active person, and was definitely a big shock to me.” Have a read of Jemma McConville-Roe’s first blog here.
Vox Performance Project participant Holly Seear describes her experience doing a sweat test with Precision Fuel & Hydration and shares what she learned, in her latest blog. Read more here!
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
Eileen Sheridan
The legendary record-breaking cyclist Eileen Sharidan passed away on 12 February this year, just eight months shy of her 100th birthday. She started riding at 15 years old and wanted to go to art school, but her family objected to her plans, and she eventually became a secretary in a car showroom. Sheridan’s record-breaking abilities made her a cycling phenomenon in her days. Cycle manufacturer Hercules signed her up to become a pro record breaking rider and she dominated in her discipline, breaking all the records of the Women’s Road Records Association during the late 1940s and 1950s, and five have yet to be beaten, including her London-Edinburgh record. Her 1954 Land’s End to John o’ Groats record was set in 2 days, 11hrs and 7 min, stood for 36 years, only bested by Pauline Strong in 1990. During the ride, her hands became blistered because there was no padding on the bars, just a winding of rough tape, and she was fuelled by blackcurrant juice, soup, sugar and chicken legs. She was awarded the Bidlake Memorial Prize in 1950 for creating a new high standard in women’s cycling racing. After her retirement from cycling she studied glass engraving, and for the next 40 years produced artwork from her studio in her home. In 1956 she wrote her autobiography, “Wonder Wheels” and in 2016 she was inducted into British Cycling’s Hall of Fame.
Performance Corner
How to carb load before your next event
Starting a big ride fully fueled is mandatory if you want to maximise performance. Start carbing up as early as ~48 hours out from a really big race and make sure you’re getting enough carbs in during the final few hours. Learn more here!
Questions? Email hello@pfandh.com. Click here to get 15% off fuel and electrolytes.
Zwift Rides of the week
Rapha Rising
Three straight days of climbing. Three of Zwift’s most challenging routes. We’re calling on all cyclists to chase down the Rapha Rising Challenge on February 23–26. We’re not going to lie—it’s not going to be easy. Conquer it, though, and reap the rewards. A pair of climbing legs and a sweet new kit for your avatar await. Find out more here!
