With an extra stage and a new spot on the calendar due to the Paris Olympics, it's time for the Tour de France Femmes.
This year's route features eight stages over seven days, starts in the Netherlands, and finishes atop the Alpe d'Huez (sorry; once again no celebratory final stage). The route is very balanced: two stages for the sprinters, one time trial for the specialists, three hilly stages for the punchuers, and two high mountain stages for the climbers. The change in date off the men's tour is also of interest; I've no doubt the opening stages in the Netherlands will have massive crowds, but how will the French attendance look post-Olympics and the men's tour? If the crowds are large, it bodes very well for the race as it expands in length next year.
Stages
As usual, all stage profiles are taken from procyclingstats.com
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| Stage 1 profile |
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Flat! It's a bit outrageous the organizers squeezed a category 4 climb in there, but I guess the sponsors want someone in the polka dots out of the gate. SD Worx will do everything to set up Wiebes for the win here.
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Stage 2 profile
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Still flat! Short sprint stage in the morning before the afternoon time trial.
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Stage 3 profile
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The second day concludes with a short, prolouge-esque TT. This is one for the powerhouses of the peloton; there's a good chance that Wiebes will be riding out of this stage still in yellow.
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Stage 4 profile
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We're not in the Netherlands anymore! Stage 4 traverses Belgium on the way to France, and is a de facto mini-LBL. Time for the leader's jersey to switch hands?
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Stage 5 profile
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Still lumpy as the race finally moves into France...the bonus seconds at the top of the last categorized climbs could set off an early GC battle.
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Stage 6 profile
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The last of the lumpy stages, it heads from the Vosges to the Jura mountains. A good stage for either some GC action or a late attack to stay away.
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Stage 7 profile
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The first of two days in the Alps, the finishing climb is a bit on the easy side. Still, it should be selective enough to get gaps on the GC.
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Stage 8 profile
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In contrast, there is nothing easy about this stage! Two HC climbs, the second of which is the legendary Alpe d'Huez. The undisputed queen stage, it should be an epic finale.
Contenders
GC (yellow jersey)
DEMI VOLLERING -- The undisputed favorite heading in, having won ever stage race she's entered this season after a 'slow' start in the classics season. Baring illness of injury, I would expect her to win this race by multiple minutes, given the nature of the final two stages.
RIEJANNE MARKUS -- Second overall in the GC at la Vuelta after a series of very consistent climbing performances, the Dutch rider will look for a podium here as well. It helps that Jumbo is also bringing perhaps the best support team out of any team on the startlist.
NEVE BRADBURY -- Having a great season, the most recent success being a podium and stage win at the Giro. It's difficult off-the-cuff to predict if Canyon//SRAM will ride for Bardbury or Niewiadoma, but, given recent results, it will be hard not to put everything behind the Australian. Like Jumbo, they also arrive with a great supporting cast.
JULIETTE LABOUS -- The French road race champion has had a very solid season, top 5 GC in both the Vuelta and the Giro, but the only win so far has been that French road race title. It's also likely the last big race in the DSM kit before heading to FDJ next year...a final podium in the tricolor would be a nice way to go out.
ÉVITA MUZIC -- I think the only rider to finish ahead of Vollering in a big climbing stage this season, she is the other French hope. Second to Vollering in Burgos and top 5 GC in la Vuelta, it's been a good season to-date for the French rider. FDJ also has a solid support squad, so a podium is a big possibility.
LIDL-TREK -- Longo Bourghini is out with illness, so they have to decide between Realini and van Anrooij. I would imagine team management goes with last year's Tour de l'Avenir winner from last year (given that is kind of the point of that race), but the last stage is probably better for Realini. Regardless, as long as there is cohesion, Lidl-Trek is another team bringing a great support squad for their GC rider.
Points (green jersey)
LORENA WIEBES -- Has to be the big favorite, especially given the jump she has made in climbing this season. To be honest, I would not be surprised to see her take the first four stages (the first three for sure) given her season to date.
MARIANNE VOS -- Having a fantastic season after coming back from iliac artery surgery a year or two ago. No one has the sprint to stick with Wiebes on the flat stages (I'm not sure Amstel counts!), but the three hilly stages in the middle could be a different kettle of fish.
CHARLOTTE KOOL -- Many runners-up to Wiebes this season, finally got a win in Baloise last month. I would expect more of the same here.
Mountains (polka dot jersey)
This one is always impossible to forecast...Vollering is the best climber, and I think she'll win stage 8 with the big points at the end, so that's probably the best option. Good climbers and aggressive riders such as ELISE CHABBEY, YARA KASTELIJN, and KRISTEN FAULKNER are also good options.
Youth (white jersey)
I'll go with SHIRIN VAN ANROOIJ.
Prediction
Demi Vollering to repeat as champion...Markus and Labous to take the minor places on the podium
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Déjà vu all over again
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