With the primary international Tour de France Femmes Grand Depárt lower than 24 hours away, Lorena Wiebes, Marianna Vos and Charlotte Kool are set to line out because the heavy residence favourites for victory on stage 1 of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes and safe the primary yellow jersey for the Netherlands.
It’s a feat Wiebes managed in 2022 when she powered up the cobbles of the Champs Élysées to web victory in Paris forward of Vos, nonetheless, her pleasure on the prospect of one other, on residence soil no much less, was palpable as she spoke to Cyclingnews forward of the race.
She’s been to reconnoitre the end on stage 2 into Rotterdam, with a Veloviewer look into stage 1 Hague end revealing only a slight bend within the closing 3000 metres earlier than deciding the opening yellow jersey wearer. It ought to be no problem for Wiebes to reach with an opportunity, along with her delighted that “the final 120-200 metres are barely uphill” and will permit her to drop her sometimes large watts and attain breakneck speeds that nobody can match.
Wiebes has lengthy been the highest canine of sprinting within the ladies’s peloton and two flat days from Rotterdam to The Hague and Dordrecht to Rotterdam permit her an ideal probability to don yellow once more and for longer. But it surely isn’t nearly successful for Wiebes, with a experience of inspiration additionally on her to-do record for the trio of Dutch programs.
“I must say, I believe the Champs Élysées was actually particular due to the place and all the things, however I believe right here it’s going to even be particular and I hope there are a number of spectators in all places,” mentioned Wiebes to Cyclingnews.
“I additionally hope a bit to encourage the youthful technology of Dutch cyclists as a result of I learn within the information that it’s going a bit down and fewer youngsters are biking – possibly this an excellent motive that they begin once more.”
Whereas Wiebes will hope it’s her that raises her arms in celebration at roughly 15:45 tomorrow, she might discover it powerful to be the important thing supply of Dutch inspiration on the opening spherical of dash preventing, with the nice Marianne Vos and former lead-out rider Charlotte Kool additionally taking goal on the maillot jaune premier.
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“The primary one,” is how Kool readily responded when requested which levels she had in her crosshairs, admitting “I imply the yellow jersey is awaiting so for certain that one.” However she is aware of higher than most the true excellence of Wiebes’ violent RPM and knack for locating the white line first.
“In fact, she has already been at this stage for a very very long time, she is aware of what to do.. but additionally she is simply being actually quick,” mentioned Kool as she described her opponent’s key traits to Cyclingnews and Velo in Rotterdam.
Nevertheless, Kool claims she has a plan, which she’s going to want given Wiebes has 18 wins to only her one in 2024 going into the Tour de France Femmes, with Wiebes netting a 3rd of that haul forward of Kool in second place.
“It’s simple: whoever is the quickest will win. I’ve actually bought one thing in thoughts and we actually imagine in it and I’m lastly feeling manner higher than the final weeks,” Kool mentioned. “I’ve lastly discovered the legs that I wished to, so I’m actually excited.”
Kool again at peak type simply in time for dash duel
For Kool, 2024 has been a battle with out a lot success after she burst into life the season previous to correctly problem Wiebes within the flat sprints, beating her on the UAE Tour and Simac Girls Tour, one thing that solely Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) and Vos of the lively peloton had managed lately.
Sickness and dangerous luck have saved her at a stage under her peak, nonetheless, she believes she’s discovered it simply in time to ignite the trendy streets of Rotterdam.
“This massive purpose at all times saved me going and saved me preventing and believing that the one race you need the perfect legs for is the race,” mentioned Kool of her present type. “For me personally, final 12 months, I gained in all places besides on the Tour so possibly this 12 months it is going to be the opposite manner round.”
“Charlotte has been fairly open that possibly in the beginning of the 12 months, she bought sick and didn’t have the perfect legs she wished however I believe now she’s in actually fine condition and we totally again that,” agreed penultimate lead-out rider Pfeiffer Georgi. “We’ve at all times centered on ourselves and type of at all times had confidence in her, we belief her and we’ll have to only see.”
Not like Wiebes and SD Worx-Protime, Georgi had been to have a look at the finale of stage 1, the place DSM-Firmenich PostNL actually imagine Kool can take a historic victory for the crew.
“We really did a recon of tomorrow’s stage, the final 60-70k – it’s typical Dutch roads all day, twisty, a number of highway furnishings and could possibly be windy. For us, we’d love that, some echelons, some pleasure,” Georgi advised Cyclingnews.
“The dash itself shouldn’t be loopy technical, the previous couple of kilometres are fairly broad and open however I believe positioning the entire day is absolutely necessary after which actually timing it for the end.”
The final piece of the Dutch puzzle is Vos, the serial winner, all-time nice and ever-tactical grasp, who believes a nervous opening duo of levels is assured as is the best way with Grand Excursions. However Vos, a two-time Tour de France Femmes stage winner and former inexperienced jersey, is aware of all about beating Wiebes – a feat she achieved simply this season to grab the Amstel Gold Race with a last-second bike throw.
“Will probably be very nervous within the first two days. It is the bunch that is nervous, the ladies who all need to be within the first 10. It is flat and so [the bunch] shouldn’t be stretched out and you will have each DS telling all their riders to get to the entrance,” she advised Cyclingnews and CyclingWeekly.
“Ultimately, that each one makes in nervous. We’ve got good riders, good bike handlers and I hope we are able to all maintain it protected collectively. It is also cool to have an anticipated bunch dash.”
Vos isn’t simply flustered having seen all of it earlier than, nonetheless, she’ll know the specter of massive favorite Wiebes and a robust lead-out spearheaded by Barabara Guarischi within the World Champion Lotte Kopecky’s absence. The Visma-Lease A Bike rider will likely be aided by the likes of Anna Henderson and Cyclocross World Champion Fem van Empel as she eyes the flat sprints, however the punchier day to Amnéville on stage 5 could possibly be Vos’s time to shine.
There ought to be Dutch delight come tomorrow night within the Hague, albeit with the specter of Italy’s Balsamo, however whether or not it’s Kool, Vos or Wiebes, the oranje followers will likely be bouncing for whoever’s in yellow.
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