Voxnews
Get your week started with the latest news from the world of women’s cycling:
- After having announced a new title sponsor, Iccrea, the 2019 Giro Rosa was officially presented on International Women’s Day. The prestigious ten-day race will commence on 5 July with an 18km TTT. On stage 5, the queen stage, the riders will take to the high mountains, with a spectacular summit finish on the Passio di Gavia. This is followed by a tough uphill race against the clock, which is set to create some gaps in the overall standings. And on the final climb of Stage 9, the riders will tackle gradients of up to 20 per cent. The winner will be crowned after the final stage’s finish at the top of the Castle climb in Udine.
- The 2019 Emakumeen Bira route was also announced. The biggest change to this year’s four-day race, which will be held in the Basque Country from 22 – 25 May, is that it will not include an ITT, but will instead feature more climbing. The first stage contains two categorised climbs, yet is not too difficult to prevent a final bunch sprint. Stage 2 presents more of a climbing challenge, with two ascents, as well as an uphill kick to finish things off. The following stage again contains two categorised climbs, including an uphill finish that reaches gradients of almost 10 per cent, which will surely make a mark on the GC. The race is capped off with a final stage containing no less than four categorised climbs.
Race organisers revealed the route for the inaugural Women’s Tour of Scotland, which features three days of racing from 9 to 11 August. The race commences in Dundee with a 103km-long stage. The riders will then take on a stage from Glasgow to Perth, along some of the roads used in last year’s European Championships. The race will then finish with a tour around Edinburgh that features four climbs, three of which come in close succession before the finish, no doubt making for an exciting finale. - In yet another route announcement, it was revealed that The Women’s Tour Grand Depart will take place in Suffolk on 10 June, when 96 riders will line up in Beccles to take on a 157km-long stage that will finish in Stowmarket. The race, which is Britain’s longest-running professional women’s event, has also been expanded to six days for the first time in its history and, for the second year running, the race’s prize fund will match that of the men’s event.
Recent results
– Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton Scott) won a thrilling fifth edition of Strade Bianche, with Annika Langvad (Boels Dolmans) finishing in second and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) in third.
– Jip van den Bos(Boels Dolmans) took out Le Samyn des Dames ahead of Daniela Gaß (Equano-Wase Zon Cycling) and Demi De Jong (Lotto Soudal Ladies).
– Olena Sharha (Lviv Cycling Team) won Grand Prix Velo Alanya, with Christina Perchtold (Health-Mate Ladies Team) and Taisa Naskovich (Minsk Cycling Club) rounding out the podium.
– Tatsiana Sharakova (Minsk Cycling Club) finished atop the podium at the Grand Prix Justiniano, ahead of Mariia Miliaeva (Russian National Team) and Maryna Ivaniuk (Ukraine National Team).
– The results from Six Day Hong Kong:
Day 1 – Women:
- 7.5km Scratch Race: Neah Evans
- 7.5km Tempo Race: Ying Zhang
- Elimination Race: Emily Nelson
- 20km Points Race: Neah Evans
- General Classification: Neah Evans
Day 1 Sprinters – Women:
- 200m Flying Time Trial: Wai Sze Lee
- Keirin Final: Wai Sze Lee
- Sprint Finals: Miriam Welte
- General Classification: Wai Sze Lee
Day 2 – Women:
- 20km Madison: Emily Nelson and Neah Evans
- Team Elimination: Shannon McCurley and Lauren Perry
- General Classification: Neah Evans
Day 2 – Sprinters – Women:
- 200m Flying Time Trial: Wai Sze Lee
- Sprint Finals: Wai Sze Lee
- Keirin Final: Miriam Welte
- General Classification: Wai Sze Lee
Day 3 – Women:
- 20km Madison: Emily Nelson and Neah Evans
- 10km Scratch Race: Emily Nelson
- General classification: Neah Evans
Day 3 – Sprinters – Women:
- 200m Flying Time Trial: Wai Sze Lee
- Keirin Final: Nicky Degrendele
- Sprint Final: Wai Sze Lee
- General Classification: Wai Sze Lee
Zwift Blog
- To celebrate International Women’s Day, our bloggers Dani King, Ella Harris, Elena Cecchini, Tanja Erath and Leah Kirchmann tell you about women in their lives that have inspired them on and off the bike. Get ready to be inspired by reading what they have to say here.
- Did you catch Tanja Erath‘s blog from last week? In her first piece of 2019, the former Zwift Academy winner gives you an insight into life as a pro rider, and you can check it out here.
Insider Podcast powered by Rawvelo
- In a not-to-be-missed podcast episode, Abby Mickey talks with Annemiek van Vleuten ahead of her season, and gives you a recap with Laura Winter on the races we’ve witnessed so far as well as the upcoming classics. Check out the podcast here!
Voxwomen announcements and events
- Get ready, because the Voxwomen Big Day Out is coming! We’re giving cyclists of all abilities the opportunity to go on a ride through the picturesque New Forest with Dani Rowe, Elena Cecchini and Sophie Wright on Sunday 16 June. These three stars of the peloton will also be available for expert advice, tips, coaching and a Q&A Session. In addition, you’ll also receive full on-road support from Brother Cycling. However, tickets are selling out very quickly, so don’t delay! Get yours for only £40 from our online store.
This week in cycling history…
- 4 March was the birthday of Elsy Jacobs. Despite the Luxembourg Federation initially refusing to give her a racing license, she became the first ever female UCI World Road Champion after winning the inaugural race in 1958. She also went on to break the women’s Hour Record, riding over 41km in the Vigorelli velodrome in Milan. This record stood for no less than 14 years. Since 2008, the Festival Elsy Jacobs has been held each year in Luxembourg, and was won by Letizia Paternoster in 2018.
Shop Voxwomen and insider specials
- Want to shop our range of quality cycling clothing and accessories? It couldn’t be any easier than heading over to our online store. Plus, you’ll be supporting Voxwomen so we can continue to bring you the best content that women’s cycling has to offer
