Women's Tour 2017 **spoilers**

awavey
awavey Posts: 2,368
edited June 2017 in Pro race
now in its 4th edition, Lizzie Deignan returns as the defending champion of the Women’s Tour, and headlines the start list for the 2017 edition of the UCI Women’s World Tour event which includes all 15 top UCI ranked women's teams and most of those top teams best riders, plus a number of invited teams.

The total race distance is 654km this year, up from 498km when it first started, and gets underway in Northamptonshire, tomorrow (7th June) with Stage one 147.5-kilometres between Daventry and Kettering. this year the leaders jersey will be green in deference to the new sponsor OVO energy

Stage 2 is Stoke-on-Trent and Saffordshire, Stage 3 Warwickshire, Stage 4 Derbyshire before the final stage on Sunday in the heart of London.

highlights of the days stages are on ITV4 at 11pm and follow after the Criterium du Dauphine highlights, except for Saturday when they switch to 8pm.


not convinced Lizzie is favourite for GC this year, the race awards bonus seconds and last year was the first time the bonus seconds hadnt really impacted on the GC winner, but most of the stages are expected to be sprint finishes, though there might be a chance on Stage 4 to form breakaway, but its likely to be close heading into the final crit stage 5 on Sunday,

Comments

  • jedi_master
    jedi_master Posts: 888
    A WWT race in the UK should be live on tv in the UK.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,163
    A WWT race in the UK should be live on tv in the UK.

    This was discussed on the Cycling Podcast (one of the Feminin episodes, around Christmas perhaps?) and IIRC Mick Bennett would love to do that but currently no-one wants to broadcast it and/or the costs could not be covered.
  • jedi_master
    jedi_master Posts: 888
    OK, thanks for the explanation.
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    Stage 1 results
    1 Katarzyna Niewiadoma WM3 3hrs51mins29
    2 Marianne Vos WM3 @ 1'46"
    3 Christine Majerus Boels Dolmans @ 1'48"


    and this is why I dont do PTP :D a 50km solo break gave Katarzyna Niewadoma a 1min48 lead in GC, which tbf I dont think is the norm in WWT races even like this.

    Certainly now makes Stage 2 interesting as now most of the assumed GC contenders, and theres nothing to say Niewadoma isnt now firmly competing for that either, have a fair chunk of time to make up, instead of what everyone had assumed would be post stage 1 just a couple of seconds gaps between everyone.

    tomorrow might well be fast and furious.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    Just watched the highlights.
    Just like a men's race, but completely in reverse.
    Full chat at the start, go slow at the finish, only break goes at 47kms.............from the end and nobody chases.
    Wacky races.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • jedi_master
    jedi_master Posts: 888
    Have the made a change to stage 5? It was down as 88km but the official site now has it at 62km.
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    Stage 2 results
    1 Amy Pieters Boels Dolmans 03hrs51mins42
    2 Hannah Barnes Canyon/SRAM @ST
    3 Ellen Van Dijk Team Sunweb @ST


    GC
    1 Katarzyna Niewiadoma WM3 07hrs41mins11
    2 Marianne Vos WM3 @01"46
    3 Hannah Barnes Canyon/SRAM @ST

    lots of breaks tried during the stage, most closed down, quite fast pace today, Lucinda Brand tried another solo to finish but the peloton finally reacted and took over with 5-7km to go, leading to a reduced sprint finish. Hannah Barnes moved into 3rd in GC and took the Best British Rider jersey from sister Alice.

    Lizzie Deignan got dropped on the major climb of the day, and is now 8"47 down on GC, so out of contention really.

    Stage 3 151km from Atherstone to Royal Leamington Spa, most of the big climbs, Edge Hill, Burton Dassett are concentrated at the back of the stage, so possibility for a breakway to form or end with a reduced sprint again.
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    Have the made a change to stage 5? It was down as 88km but the official site now has it at 62km.

    yes, it was down as 86.8km I think originally, 14 laps of 6.2km, so that would mean it was now 10 laps instead at 62km, not heard theres been a change but anything is possible given the location.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,163
    Couple of photos from Gun Hill yesterday. Pretty disappointing crowd to be honest, although the weather forecast was not great (it turned out OK in the end). A nice touch was a Skoda truck at the top of the climb giving out free hot drinks and flapjacks!

    U7qptbOVmGkRMc3GvoIfNMKK2U-R8AQii80IJ6cWtL0-2048x1536.jpg

    glUQmK_Y0zwjKaSjIU4GSKhcdtwhWWswoNPSPciO6-Q-2048x1535.jpg
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    edited June 2017
    r0bh wrote:
    Couple of photos from Gun Hill yesterday. Pretty disappointing crowd to be honest, although the weather forecast was not great (it turned out OK in the end). A nice touch was a Skoda truck at the top of the climb giving out free hot drinks and flapjacks!

    good shots, the crowds are turning up in the towns and villages they pass through, I guess we arent quite at camping out on the climbs levels yet



    Stage 3 results
    1 Chloe Hosking Ale 3hrs57mins10
    2 Alice Barnes Drops @ST
    3 Ellen Van Dijk Team Sunweb @ST

    GC
    1 Katarzyna Niewiadoma WM3 11hrs38mins21
    2 Ellen Van Dijk Team Sunweb @01"43
    3 Alice Barnes Canyon/SRAM @01"46

    Alice Barnes swaps around with Hannah into 3rd place overall and takes the best british rider trophy again, turning into quite a battle between those two for family honours :)

    Marianne Vos has had to abandon though, was caught in a crash within the final 10km, and suffered a broken collarbone, Dani King & Amy Pieters were in the same crash but seem to be ok, quite a few crashes in the last kms. Lizzie Deignan was also briefly seen at the front of the peloton, but has admitted its been a tough week so far.

    Stage 4 is 123km from Chesterfield, back to Chesterfield, and is the toughest stage on paper at least due to the elevation gains, and was expected to be the decisive stage, so WM3 will have to keep a close eye on any breaks that form if Niewiadoma is to keep the green jersey going into stage 5, which has been confirmed as 10 laps 62kms now.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    Just watched ITV 4's highlights.
    That was a horrible crash inside the final half a km for Vos.
    From almost flat out to dead stop, as she body slammed the barrier.
    Surprised Longo Borghini finished in the front group.
    She looked as if she's done a collar bone, inside the first few kms.

    DB5I3jaXgAA3ey-.jpg
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    as expected today was an attacking stage with a breakaway Sarah Roy, Leah Kirchmamm and Shara Gillow broke away early and established an 80second lead over the peloton. Lizzie Deignan, who admitted yesterday she'd come into the race feeling ill, hence her poor showing so far, actually led a breakaway group from the peloton to try and catch the first breakaway group and that eventually led to Christine Marjerus bridging the gap, and on the road at least Marjerus becoming virtual GC leader for a while. However race leader Niewiadom made it into Lizzies group and eventually the group & rest of the peloton chased the breakaway down so only roughly 30seconds was eventually lost.

    Sarah Roy took the stage win against Marjerus who takes the points jersey. Audrey Cordon was confirmed as Queen of the Mountains winner, as Stage 5 is pan flat and has no mountains to speak of :) Jolien D'hore takes the sprints jersey into stage 5, and in the ongoing battle between the Barnes, Hannah took honours today and took the Best British rider jersey and has a 2 second gap on sister Alice. Katie Archibald crashed in the final 10k but made it to the finish

    Sundays stage is the 62km, 10 lap crit in London, overall GC isnt likely to be challenged you would think, but points,sprint,best british jerseys and of course stage win are all up for grabs.

    Stage 4 results
    1 Sarah Roy Orica 3hrs27mins48
    2 Christine Marjerus Boels Dolmans @ 1
    3 Leah Kirchmann Team Sunweb @ 5

    GC
    1 Katarzyna Niewiadoma WM3 15hrs06mins31
    2 Christine Marjerus Boels Dolmans @01"25
    3 Leach Kirchmann Team Sunweb @01"36
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    so final stage, a 10 lap crit around some of Londons more familar tourist sites, lots of classic location photo opportunities, and actually not as dull as Id expected, think the Ride London Classique suffers from its course layout and that everyone is really just banking on a bunch sprint finale and avoiding the inevitable crash that wipes out half the field,so it never really gets going.

    here there were still a number of jerseys up for grabs and although GC leader going into the stage Niewiadoma was unlikely to be challenged, still had to wary and kept in the leading early break which resembled a Boels TTT at some points, albeit with Hannah Barnes who timed the intermediate sprint laps perfectly, most of the other teams had missed the move and expended alot of energy hauling the lead group back in, but they did and ultimately Jolien D’hoore took the stage win with Hannah Barnes pipped to second, albeit securing Best British Rider jersey and ultimately 3rd overall in GC as well as the stage combativity award in the process.


    Stage 5 results
    1 Jolien D'hoore Wiggle 1hr28mins23
    2 Hannah Barnes Canyon/SRAM @ST
    3 Christine Marjerus Boels Dolmans @ST


    Final GC standings
    1 Katarzyna Niewiadoma WM3 16hrs34mins53
    2 Christine Marjerus Boels Dolmans @01"18
    3 Hannah Barnes Canyon/SRAM @01"30


    and with 3 Brits in the top 10 of a Women's World Tour event,and not Lizzie Deignan, the nationals will certainly be interesting in two weeks time.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,719
    r0bh wrote:
    Couple of photos from Gun Hill yesterday. Pretty disappointing crowd to be honest, although the weather forecast was not great (it turned out OK in the end). A nice touch was a Skoda truck at the top of the climb giving out free hot drinks and flapjacks!
    ]

    I always think it's odd how Gun Hill has become one of the classic climbs in these uk pro races when it's not particularly hard and has nothing else like particular scenic setting or close proximity to a city centre finish or dramatic descent. It must just be part of the most convenient route for getting back to Stoke who seem to like paying for race finishes.

    As for the race as a whole - didn't really catch the imagination for me. Stuff like having a race finish just round a corner so you don't get a clear sprint to the line nor a clear view of it just seem obvious mistakes bike race organisers keep making and whilst I understand why they finish with a crit when it's a shortish stage race anyway for me it's just a wasted day.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741

    As for the race as a whole - didn't really catch the imagination for me. Stuff like having a race finish just round a corner so you don't get a clear sprint to the line nor a clear view of it just seem obvious mistakes bike race organisers keep making and whilst I understand why they finish with a crit when it's a shortish stage race anyway for me it's just a wasted day.

    Kind of a strange race all round.

    Hard to imagine a GC contender being allowed to waltz away in the final 40kms of a relatively flat, first stage in a men's race, to gain so much time as to lock down the overall classification. Just how slow the rest were going, I know not, but at 5 kms from home they still looked like they were rolling out of the neutral zone.

    I would also be critical of the parcour lacking a really selective stage, but for the fact that the same could be said of this year's TOB.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,439
    r0bh wrote:
    Couple of photos from Gun Hill yesterday. Pretty disappointing crowd to be honest, although the weather forecast was not great (it turned out OK in the end). A nice touch was a Skoda truck at the top of the climb giving out free hot drinks and flapjacks!
    ]

    I always think it's odd how Gun Hill has become one of the classic climbs in these uk pro races when it's not particularly hard and has nothing else like particular scenic setting or close proximity to a city centre finish or dramatic descent. It must just be part of the most convenient route for getting back to Stoke who seem to like paying for race finishes.

    I rode up it a few weeks ago and was totally underwhelmed. Its no harder or more scenic than what we have in the Yorkshire wolds. Theres so much good riding around that area, its odd that that seems to be the chosen one.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago