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Lizzie Deignan has announced her first plans after retirement. She will join Never Strays Far Live in France specials covering the tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
After spending nearly seven months on the sidelines recovering from surgery to treat iliac artery endofibrosis, former Australian road champion Sarah Gigante has finally opened her season last month at the Tour of Norway. Her journey back to racing has been anything but easy. She underwent a complex and invasive surgical procedure, followed by a long, often grueling recovery, both physically and mentally. She faced 12 to 16 weeks completely off the bike, followed by long hours on the indoor trainer, gym sessions, and consistent work with a sports psychologist at the Victorian Institute of Sport to rebuild both body and mindset. Last week, she made a statement by winning Stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia, a clear sign that she has not only recovered, but is returning to top form.
Lotte Kopecky did not start the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia Women. The World Champion is still experiencing some discomfort in her lower back, and as a precaution ahead of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, she left the Giro d’Italia. According to the medical staff of Team SD Worx – Protime, the discomfort in her lower back should heal completely with a few days of rest. She will then be able to resume her preparations for the Tour de France Femmes as planned. Also at the Giro, Team Picnic PostNL’s Pfeiffer Georgi and Marta Vavellli crashed on stage 3 and had to abandon the race. Marianne Vos has not been feeling her best and has had to abandon the Italian race ahead of Saturday’s stage. She will now be focusing on recovery and preparation for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. SD Worx-Protimes’s Barbara Guarishi also had to abandon mid stage seven. We wish all riders the very best in their recovery.
The UCI has deemed Marlen Reusser’s actions during the sprint finish of Stage 5 at the Giro d’Italia as intimidating toward Katia Ragusa of Human Powered Health. As a result, Reusser has received a yellow card, a substantial fine and a deduction of UCI points. The complaint, however, did not originate from Human Powered Health.
The UCI will enter into direct talks with the Saudi investors behind the OneCycling project before the end of the year. Although in mid-June, OneCycling was still unanimously voted down by the UCI, its president David Lappartient stated that he is holding discussions at the highest level in Saudi Arabia. OneCycling aims to launch as early as 2026 and plans to introduce new top-level races in Colombia, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. It is unclear at the moment how and if this would affect women’s races.
Results
Giro d’Italia:
Stage 1: Marlen Reusser (Movistar) ahead of Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)
Stage 2: Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) ahead of Dilyxine Miermont (CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team) and Soraya Paladin (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto)
Stage 3: Lorea Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) ahead of Josie Nelson (Team Picnic PostNL) and Lotte Kopceky
Stage 4: Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance Soudal) ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini and Marlen Reusser
Stage 5: Lorena Wiebes ahead of Marianne Vos (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Liane Lippert (Movistar)
Upcoming races
16 – 20 July: Baloise Ladies Tour
19 July: La Perigord Ladies
20 July: La Picto-Charentaise
Voxwomen Cycling Hub
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Members can check out the latest piece that delves into Lorena Wiebes’ mind as a sprinter: “I’m just really focused on the timing of the sprint. I was also a little bit surprised that Marianne went so early. I think she went at 250 meters to go or something. In my mind I was counting. I was looking at the signs next to the road. Okay, 300 meters to go, it’s still too early.” Check out how it unfolds here!
Voxwomen Club
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This week in cycling history
Tara Whitten
Born on 13 July 1980, Tara Whitten is a former Canadian track and road cyclist. She initially explored rowing, and began her athletic career as a cross-country skier before moving to cycling in 2008, where she quickly made her mark. Whitten captured her first world title in the omnium at the 2010 UCI Track World Championships and successfully defended it in 2011. She also won a bronze medal in the team pursuit at the 2012 London Olympics, adding to several other World Championship podium finishes. In March 2016, while scouting the road course for the Rio Olympics, she suffered a serious crash into the back of a bus, resulting in a concussion and a skull fracture. Despite this, she competed in Rio later that year before retiring from elite competition. Post-retirement, Whitten completed a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Alberta and began post-doctoral research in concussion studies at the University of Calgary. In recognition of her achievements, she was inducted into the Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame in 2024. She now applies her analytical skills as a data analyst with Alberta Health Services.
