The lads’s Tour de France is over, the Olympic Video games are wrapping up however that is no time to show off the highlight, because the stage is about for an additional enthralling battle on the Tour de France Femmes.
The third version of the race begins within the Netherlands on Monday, August 8, earlier than working its method again towards the Alps and an important ultimate two days within the mountain, with Alpe d’Huez the crowning glory. Defending champion Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) stands out as the outright favorite, however there are many others which can be set to play a big position – together with a contingent of 13 riders from Australia and New Zealand.
A few of these might be chasing their possibilities for stage victories, and maybe giving one of many nations its first Tour de France Femmes stage victor, whereas others might be devoted to serving to their teammates. Both method – whether or not they’re lining up for his or her first or final Tour de France Femmes – the sturdy group of riders from Australia and New Zealand won’t go unnoticed because the peloton weaves its method throughout the 946km course from Rotterdam to the highest of Alpe d’Huez.
Cyclingnews takes a more in-depth have a look at the 9 riders from Australia and 4 from New Zealand anticipated to – based mostly on the preliminary begin checklist – line up on the race that attracts the eyes of the biking world from August 12-18.
Australia
Grace Brown finally 12 months’s Tour de France Femmes (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Just a few months in the past the Australian introduced her plans to retire on the finish of this season with the closing comment of ‘let’s see if I can log off in fashion’. It doesn’t matter what comes subsequent as Grace Brown traces up for her third Tour de France Femmes, the gold medal hanging round her neck after the time trial on the Olympic Video games means she has delivered in spades.
Nonetheless, despite the fact that the ultimate months of her profession are rapidly counting down and the head she has already reached is lofty, there’s nonetheless a lot using on this ultimate Grand Tour with there being no query about simply how vital the race is to her French-based squad. The stage 3 time trial most likely presents her one of the best alternative to offer her FDJ–SUEZ group the stage victory it’s pursuing on the Tour de France Femmes, although stage 4 may be a chance because the street to Liège has been variety to Brown this 12 months, with the 32-year-old profitable Liège-Bastogne-Liège in Could. Her position, past that, is prone to be in help as FDJ-SUEZ has two sturdy choices for the mountains and total, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig – who has had a couple of hurdles with harm this season – and Évita Muzic. Serving to a French group to success on the Tour de France, no matter whether or not that’s by means of incomes high stage outcomes herself or serving to out within the GC cost, will win her loads of wholehearted cheers from the native followers on the roadside as she waves goodbye.
Neve Bradbury profitable on Blockhaus on the Giro d’Italia Ladies (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
It might be the primary time Neve Bradbury has lined up on the Tour de France Femmes, however she is doing so with some severe outcomes behind her. Blockhaus was a stage of the Giro d’Italia Ladies that stood out as quickly because the route was introduced as delivering one of the difficult climbing phases the Ladies’s WorldTour had seen – and Bradbury gained it. When Cyclingnews spoke to her earlier than that spectacular Giro stage win Bradbury mentioned “when it is fairly laborious, fairly late, everybody’s drained – that is often what would go well with me fairly properly.”
The identical situation she described as suiting her on the Giro – of laborious phases late – applies simply as a lot with the twin mountain stage finale of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes, which concludes on the high of Alpe d’Huez. Nonetheless, her position on the race is totally different from that on the Giro, the place she was a pacesetter and completed third total. Teammate Kasia Niewiadoma has clearly earned the whole-hearted help of her squad by ending third on the French Grand Tour within the final two editions, so Bradbury’s focus will seemingly be to bury herself for her group chief when the terrain hits the mountains and maybe, on the identical time, collect the expertise that will sooner or later assist her be that chief on the greatest race on the calendar. Though if issues do not go to plan for Niewiadoma, she may be a useful plan B this time round.
Amber Pate and Ruby Roseman-Gannon on the Tour of Britain (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
The Australian champion Ruby Roseman-Gannon and her teammate Amber Pate might be lining up for the nation’s solely Ladies’s WorldTour squad. Each might be taking over their second version, with Pate lining up in 2023 whereas Roseman-Gannon made her debut in 2022, her first 12 months as an expert. Roseman-Gannon has amassed loads of expertise since and has definitely constructed up her outcomes by means of this season, claiming the nationwide criterium and street race title at the beginning after which additionally choosing up her first Ladies’s WorldTour stage win alongside the best way on the Tour of Britain. She’ll be chasing one other on the Tour de France Femmes
“Once I did the 2022 Tour de France Femmes, it definitely felt like the largest race I’ve ever accomplished, simply because of the variety of spectators and media curiosity,” mentioned Roseman Gannon within the group’s pre-race media launch. “It was a very unimaginable ambiance and I’m excited to come back again this 12 months with two extra years of coaching and expertise.”
The most recent race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and knowledgeable shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
In her pursuit of stage wins, Pate might be a robust ally, simply as she was when the Australian Champion claimed the remainder of her three victories to date this 12 months.
Amanda Spratt on the Tour de Suisse (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
The expertise of Amanda Spratt is a priceless asset in a Grand Tour with the rider who has twice completed on the general podium of the Giro d’Italia Ladies lining up as a robust help rider on the climbs for one of many strongest groups going up towards defending champions SD Worx-Protime. The 36-year-old completed within the high ten total final 12 months, when she needed to take up the mantle after GC hope Elisa Longo Borghini needed to depart the race proper earlier than the essential stage ending on the Col du Tourmalet. This time, too, the Italian has needed to change her race plans, however earlier than the beginning after a pre-race coaching crash, although there are others which can be anticipated to guide the group cost this time.
Longo Borghini – who took the maglia rosa on the Giro d’Italia – had timed her peak to start in Italy and on condition that was at all times going to be laborious to take care of by means of the Olympic Video games and onto the Tour de France Femmes so different choices have been in focus. The small period of time trialling and two ultimate mountain phases with summit finishes may play into the palms of succesful climber Gaia Realini and Shirin van Anrooij can also be one other GC possibility, one who does not have fairly the identical climbing document however has the traits to doubtlessly carve out a bonus by means of the opening phases. The climbing energy of Spratt could possibly be a priceless piece of the puzzle that helps put on down rivals and preserve the energy of her teammates for these essential moments.
Picture 1 of 2
Sarah Roy at Itzulia Ladies in 2024(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Josie Talbot on the Tour de France Femmes in 2023(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Sarah Roy might be lining up for her second Tour de France Femmes with the French group and so will Josie Talbot. The Australian pair’s finest possibilities for a high consequence come on the punchy terrain of stage 4 and stage 5. Each are exhibiting stable type to benefit from the alternatives that will crop up. Roy, the 2021 Australian street champion, this season took her first victory since claiming the nationwide title, profitable stage 2 of the two.1 ranked Bretagne Women Tour.
Talbot has been elevating the bar in her second season with Cofidis, taking victories at La Périgord Women and on stage 3 of the Tour Féminin Worldwide des Pyrénées. The rider might be hoping to maintain up the sturdy run as she heads towards a brand new group, Liv-AlUla-Jayco, subsequent 12 months.
Picture 1 of 2
Sarah Gigante on Willunga Hill on the Ladies’s Tour Down Underneath(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Anya Louw on the Tour of Flanders(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Even earlier than the rebirth of the ladies’s Tour de France was confirmed, the thrill on the potential for it to be launched was clear when Cyclingnews spoke to Sarah Gigante in regards to the prospect. Again in 2021 when the then 20-year-old was within the extraordinarily early phases of her skilled racing profession, it appeared clear that this was an occasion the place the potential for her to make a mark on the race sooner or later was clear as this was a rider that embraced large challenges, lengthy powerful climbs and will ship a stable time trial as properly. The Melbourne-based rider, nonetheless, hasn’t but had an opportunity to line up on the occasion, however that’s set to vary.
Gigante is about to make her debut within the third version of the race, starting to collect expertise within the French Grand Tour with AG Insurance coverage-Soudal. It ought to be one other huge step in what’s her fifth 12 months as an expert however, given a horrible run with interruptions, is her first stable European season. 2024 began with the dream win on the ladies’s Santos Tour Down Underneath, with the general and stage victory clinched with a spine-tingling run up Willunga HIll, and has continued with stable outcomes. As she returns to racing, after having not pinned a quantity on for the reason that finish of June, regardless of the outcomes lining up on the Tour de France Femmes might be one other dream realised. Expertise is prone to be the massive goal on this version, however who is aware of within the years to come back.
Anya Louw can also be anticipated to affix Gigante on the beginning line in 2024, having already taken on the occasion in 2022. The 23-year-old who got here by means of the ranks with Gigante in Australia has proved an ever dependable teammate and is certain to fill that position once more.
New Zealand
Niamh Fisher-Black on the Giro d’Italia Ladies (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
The mountains of the Tour de France Femmes are lastly calling for Niamh Fisher Black. The rider from New Zealand has lengthy proven monumental climbing energy – ending within the high ten total on the final 4 editions of the Giro d’Italia Ladies –the likes of which in most groups would have seen her lining up on the French race way back. Fisher Black, nonetheless, is racing for the world’s high group, SD Worx-Protime, which at all times appears to have an limitless array of choices for almost any situation. This time, nonetheless, the 23-year-old rider from New Zealand will get her probability to trip the Tour de France Femmes.
Fisher-Black might have had the choice of chasing her personal alternatives on the Giro in July, however there isn’t a doubt in regards to the focus of the group in August on condition that Demi Vollering heads the road up not simply as defending champion but additionally the clear-cut favorite. Vollering has already sailed away to victory at La Vuelta Femenina, Itzulia Ladies, Vuelta a Burgos and on the Tour de Suisse this 12 months and within the mountains it is going to be Fisher-Black she might be relying on to be a key ally.
Kim Cadzow (EF Oatly-Cannondale)
Kim Cadzow and Kristen Faulkner at La Vuelta Femenina (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Kim Cadzow is lining up for her first Tour de France Femmes with an EF Oatly-Cannondale squad that’s certain to be aggressive in pursuit of stage wins. “My purpose is to get caught into the racing,” mentioned Cadzow in a group announcement. “I wish to benefit from the expertise and help the group as finest as potential.”
Cadzow might be lining up alongside a number of potential stage winners, together with the two-time Paris Olympic gold medallist Kristen Faulkner, however with the 12 months the rider from New Zealand has had, it will be no shock if she was additionally given help to chase her personal alternatives. This season to date an total and stage win on the Trofeo Ponente in Rosa in March led right into a sixth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and a high ten total at La Vuelta Femenina as ample proof of simply what potential the 22-year-old must be a robust pressure. She can also be clearly coming into the race with some sturdy type, having taken seventh on the Olympic Video games time trial.
Mikayla Harvey on the Tour de Suisse 2024 (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
It’s a debut Tour de France Femmes for Mikayla Harvey, who ought to show a useful all-rounder for UAE Staff ADQ. The 25-year-old, who got here fifth total on the Giro d’Italia Ladies in 2020 and sixth total on the UAE Tour Ladies in 2023, is predicted to line up alongside Erica Magnaldi and Silvia Persico.
Magnaldi was final 12 months thirteenth total on the French Grand Tour and in addition got here fifth total on the Giro d’Italia Ladies whereas Persico has taken to the stage podium thrice on phases of the Tour de France Femmes and completed fifth total in 2022, with the race an actual breakthrough for the rider who was then at Valcar-Journey & Service. As such, Harvey is prone to discover herself in a help position a lot of the time significantly given it hasn’t been a season the place she has commonly been pushing to close the highest of the outcomes sheet.
Michaela Drummond at Gent-Wevelgem 2024 (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Michaela Drummond might be making her debut on the race with a French group, with the load of the dash expectations for the squad on her shoulders for the primary two sprinter-friendly phases. It has been a robust season for the 26-year-old, with a win within the nationwide championships criterium, at Région Pays de la Loire Tour Féminin and two stage victories on the Volta a Portugal Feminina in July.
Sill the rider from the Continental Staff might be moving into a complete new tier on the Tour de France Femmes, with Arkea B&B Lodges one of many wildcard entrants. The benefit of that, nonetheless, is that she might be free to fly underneath the radar as she chases no matter alternatives might come her method.
Get limitless entry to all of our protection of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes – together with breaking information and evaluation reported by our journalists on the bottom from each stage because it occurs and extra. Discover out extra.
