Your Monday Briefing

Voxnews

Get your week started with the latest news from the world of women’s cycling:

The Tour of California confirmed a list of 16 teams that will participate in the event from May 16 to 18. Seven of the top 9 ranked squads will compete in the three-day road race. The teams that will be in attendance include: Astana, BePink, Boels Dolmans, Canyon//SRAM, CCC-Liv, Cogeas Mettler Look, Drops, Hagens Berman | Supermint, Rally UHC, Sho-Air Twenty20, Swapit/Agolico, Sunweb, Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank, Trek-Segafredo, Valcar Cyclance, and WNT Rotor.
USA Cycling has created the Kelly Catlin Fund to commemorate the life and achievements of Olympic medallist and world champion cyclist Kelly Catlin. Further details are expected to be made available soon.

Marta Bastianelli (Team Virtu Cycling) won the Ronde van Drenthe, with Chantal Blaak (Boels Dolmans) and Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) rounding out the podium.
Audrey Cordon Ragot (Trek-Segafredo) won an extremely tough edition of Drentse Acht van Westerveldahead of Amy Pieters (Boels Dolmans) and Marta Bastianelli (Team Virtu).
Over in Australia at the Oceania Road Cycling Championships, Sharlotte Lukas won the Elite Road Race, with Sarah Gigante finishing second and Jemma Eastwood in third. Ella Wyllie won the Junior classification, with Hannah Bartram and Neve Bradbury finishing in second and third respectively.
In the time trial discipline at the Oceania Road Cycling Championships, Kate Perry won the Elite ITT ahead of Nicole Frain and Jenny Pettenon. Sarah Gigante won the Under-23 category, with Georgie Christie and Jemma Eastwood rounding out the podium, while Francesca Sewell took out the Junior classification ahead of Catelyn Turner and Henrietta Christie.

“Tell me, in what other sport do the rival players literally do their training together?” In her first column, Abby Mickey gives you a unique insight into the unusual situation where rivals will train, hang out and be best of friends, yet on the start line, become rivals. Check out her blog here.
After her track worlds disappointment, find out how the Tour of Scotland has become a silver lining for Katie Archibald in our exclusive interview with the Olympic champion.
Blogger Sophie Wright discusses the Tour of Yorkshire, the Lincoln Grand Prix and coming back from her early-season crash. Check out her piece, “I train to race, part two,” here.
To commemorate International Women’s Day last week, bloggers Dani King, Ella Harris, Elena Cecchini, Tanja Erath and Leah Kirchmann wrote about the women in their lives who have encouraged them to be the best that they can be, both on and off the bike. Get ready to be inspired by reading what they have to say here.

Did you catch our most recent podcast? In this not-to-be-missed episode, Abby Mickey talks with Annemiek van Vleuten, and gives you a recap with Laura Winter on the races we’ve seen so far as well as the upcoming classics. Check out the podcast here.

Voxwomen met with Marianne Vos, Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion and three-time winner of the Giro Rosa, to talk about her 2019 season and how she’s settling into her new team, CCC-Liv. Watch this not-to-be-missed exclusive interview here.

Got a spare week in mid-October? Want to be part of the Voxwomen Big Week Off, an action-packed seven days of social riding, nutritional advice and yoga sessions in the picturesque Spanish countryside? Rocacorba Cycling is hosting this not-to-be-missed experience from October 13th to 20th. And we’re offering a special reduced price for a limited time! But tickets are selling out fast, so purchase yours today from the Voxwomen Online Store!

16 March was the birthday of Alfonsina Strada, the only woman to have ever competed in a men’s Grand Tour. In 1924, Strada rode the Giro d’Italia under the identity of a male rider. Despite crashing in torrential weather and finishing outside the time limit as a result, she was allowed to continue the race and was one of only 38 riders to eventually make it to Milan. Her racing career spanned over 25 years, and in 1938 she set an hour record distance of 32.58km, an achievement which stood untouched for almost two decades.

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