In the end it was BMC who made it three wins on the trot here after putting together a strong display.
It wasn’t as dominant a display as they’ve produced in the past though with surprise package of the day Mitchelton Scott coming home only 4 seconds behind them. The wind did seem to ease for the later starters which might have played a little part in regards to the results as second team off the ramp Sky could only manage third, 9 seconds down.
A few GC riders are a little bit behind but the race is still well poised going into the rest of the week. Let’s look ahead at what is in store for the riders tomorrow though.
The Route
A day for the sprinters!
The only real difficulty throughout the day comes right at the start with a small climb of Montemagio which averages 3.5% for 4.8kms. I wonder who will be on the rollers at the start, chasing the KOM jersey? All of the ProConti teams will certainly have a few hoping to go for it!
Aside from that, there is nothing to worry the riders throughout the day and even the finish is fairly straightforward.
An 8.3km long hot-dog circuit ends the day as they do three laps of it. The major fighting point will be to the 2.8m mark where they make a u-turn and then head along the promenade towards the finish line. However, there is enough road for teams to re-organise and take to the front of the race with their sprinter. The final 1km is arrow straight which should make things easy.
Weather Watch
With the route following the coast line south for most of the day, one thing that could cause an issue is the wind coming off of the sea.
The above screenshot is the forecast for Cecina which comes at around 90kms into the day. As you can see, it is a constant crosswind and some of the roads in the area are fairly exposed but is it too far out for any teams to try to split it? Unfortunately for my enjoyment, I would say that it is!
So with that all said, it looks as if we’ll get a big bunch sprint come the end of the day.
Contenders
We’re one sprinter down already with Cavendish not starting tomorrow due to missing the time cut after his crash.
Kittel.
If there was ever a finish that suited the big German it would be this. An arrow straight road so he can’t get lost from his lead-out! He’s been fairly shocking this year so far by his lofty standards, but a very impressive run to the line on Stage 3 of the Abu Dhabi showed a glimpse of what he is capable of. Without a win so far this season and with so many of his opponents already ahead of him in that respect, he’ll desperately want something here. It’s also possibly why he avoided Paris Nice, to avoid those in form, but he’s ran from one tough set of opponents into another!
Gaviria.
The Colombian started the season off in sensational form back in South America but he has struggled a bit so far back in Europe. Saying that, he’s not been to many races that suit him; finishing Strade within the time limit was a respectable result itself! He has a strong train and with favoured pilot fish Richeze, there is a good chance he’ll be fighting for the win.
Sagan.
A bit of a “meh” day by him in Strade on his return to racing after being at altitude camp he looked strong but Bora played a stinker in terms of their tactics. I think it would be wrong to call Sagan deceptively fast, but he probably is just that because he gets viewed as much more than a pure sprinter. On his day though, he could match and beat most in a straight line. He doesn’t have a lead-out as such so he’ll have to surf wheels, something that he happens to be excellent at.
Colbrelli.
The day is arguably too easy for the Italian; although you could say that for some of his competitors too! He’s started the season off in fine form with a string of very solid results, including the impressive win on the Hatta Dam. He could win tomorrow, but he would need to time his sprint perfectly and everyone else to mess up.
Ewan.
He came up a bit short when against the best in Abu Dhabi, although three top 5s is not bad. The issue seemed to be a bit of experience where he would launch his effort too early at times. At Tirreno he arrives with a very strong team that looks pretty much geared to him challenging for stage wins, with Yates being given very little GC help. Expect to see Mitchelton hit the front fairly early and take control of the closing kilometres; will they time it better tomorrow?
Van Poppel.
Lotto Jumbo are continuing with their short but sharp lead-out approach here. It’s a very hit or miss way of going about the sprint but if they get it right then Van Poppel has a good chance. We’ve seen him mix it with some of the better guys so far and I am really intrigued to see what the Dutch outfit can do with him over the coming year and longer.
Modolo, Venturini, Arndt, Nizzolo, Debuscherre, Sarreau, Mareczko and Boasson Hagen will all be fighting for the top 10.
Prediction
A really tough one to predict but I think the Richeze factor will see the Colombian sensation Gaviria take the win!
Betting
2pts WIN Gaviria @ 5/2
Thanks as always for reading! Who do you think will win tomorrow? Anyway,
A race that will be shaped by the amount of miles against the clock, we have some of the very best GC time trial riders in the world on the start list so we should be in for an exciting week.
Last year saw Quintana take the GC win after a dominant performance on the climb of Terminillo and solid performances in the two days against the clock. Interestingly though, Thomas would have won the race were it not for the wheels coming off his title bid, quite literally on the opening day when Team Sky suffered numerous mechanicals in the TTT.
Quintana isn’t here to defend his title but Movistar do send Landa, however, he’ll probably lose too much time in the TTs to be in with a crack at the title. Although there is only one mountain top finish, there are a couple of stages where there are several “muros” so the GC riders will need to be attentive. Nonetheless, the winner of the race will need to have two good performances against the clock and hold on to the coat tails of the better climbers on the mountain top finish.
Dennis in theory should be in a great position given the two efforts against the clock but he performed poorly on Jebel Hafeet, finishing 1’43 down on the winner. That being said, he did say he felt slightly under the weather and he wasn’t exactly in bad company, finishing alongside Ion Izagirre. The extra TT kms here do give him more of a chance but I think it’ll be hard.
Dumoulin hit the headlines for his bike throwing antics in Abu Dhabi after suffering a few mechanicals in key moments there. He seemed a little off the pace though but given that he’s targeting the Giro again this year, he will want to go well in Tirreno. The route looks great for him, it all just depends on where he’s at fitness wise. He also has a very strong team-mate in the shape of Kelderman who could easily win this race himself. It will be interesting to see how Sunweb play it but having two options here is never going to be a bad thing.
Team Sky have a few options on paper but I imagine it will be Froome and Thomas leading the team. Like Dumoulin, the former is targeting the Giro so he will want to go well here. However, will the whole debacle surrounding the salbutamol case still be weighing on him? Like I said before Andalucia, I don’t think he should be racing but he’s here so he has a good a chance as anyone. Meanwhile his team-mate arrives in some sparkling form after looking very comfortable in Algarve. He should have won this race last year and he’ll be there or thereabouts again this year.
Roglic appears to be the only other guy with the TT credentials to challenge. Having only one mountain top finish will help his chances but I just can’t see him being better than the Sunweb and Sky duos. Although, he could possibly benefitting from them marking each other on the climbs. Jumbo need a big performance on the opening day and after that, he might just run them close.
However, I think Thomas will take the GC win in the end.
He looked very strong in the Algarve and having an incredibly strong team around him will help a lot.
With that out of the road, let’s have a look at what the riders will contend with on the opening day.
The Route
The race once again starts with the now seemingly traditional TTT in Lido di Camaiore.
A pan-flat out and back course with only 4 turns of note throughout the whole 21.5km. This is one for the powerful TTT squads.
There’s not really much else to say about the route, so moving on!
Weather Watch
It is meant to rain overnight with the showers continuing into the morning. Although depending what source you consult for the forecast, then some suggest that it might keep raining all afternoon with some potential thunderstorms.
On top of the potentially damp or wet roads, the riders will have to content with a strong wind that is coming off the coast line. They’ll be thankful to know it shouldn’t be a headwind (apart from at the very top of the course for a few hundred metres) but it will certainly cause some issues with the wind blowing from the side. There is a good amount of cover from the wind though thanks to buildings, bushes and trees etc, but it might cause for a few nervous moments; especially during changeovers at the front of the train.
Contenders
BMC.
It’s a TTT and they have Dennis with them so they are undoubtedly favourites. The difference he makes is incredible and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do a few kilometre turns at crucial points. The pan-flat course suits their squad perfectly and it would be surprising to not see them on top of the podium come the end of the day. They’ve won this TTT in the past two seasons, can they make it three in a row tomorrow?
Quick Step.
The team who have come closest to stopping the BMC dominance here, having finished second to them on both occasions. They bring a strong team but it is not as good as it has been in the past so I think they’ll fall short again.
Team Sky.
They’ve started the season well in time trials and I expect that to continue here in the team event. Their squad is stacked and can definitely rival BMC and in fact, I think it might just be stronger. One important thing to consider is that Sky seem to go well in poor conditions, take the opening TT at the Tour last year for example, and if we get some rain tomorrow that increases their chances.
Team Sunweb.
The TTT World Champs shocked many last year by winning that title but they will arrive here wanting to show that it was not just a one-off. With a very solid outfit I would expect them to run those at the top of the order very close; is it classed as an upset if they win?
Lotto NL Jumbo.
An ever improving team in the discipline, they bring a strong squad of rouleurs in the hope of giving Roglic as good a tilt at the GC as possible. They are missing a few of their conventional TT stars but still have a good chance of a result. The win is unlikely, but a top 5 should be their aim.
Trek Segafredo.
It seems to be a while since I’ve mentioned Trek in the contenders section of a TTT preview but they have brought a surprisingly good squad to the event. Mullen and Brandle are obviously very good TT riders in their own right but Felline, Stuyven and Pedersen can all hold their own on the short power events. They could be dark horses.
Prediction
BMC v Sky v Sunweb.
Hmmmm, I’m really torn on this one and keep switching allegiances!
I’ll go with Sky.
Their squad has the most strength in-depth out of the start list in terms of the discipline and they seem to have the best equipment in slightly testing conditions. That will give them the edge tomorrow.
Betting
Am I backing them for the win on the day with money? Hell no! Instead it will be a little H2H 4-fold to keep me interested.
1pt on at 8.04/1
Would take it at 6/1 lowest.
No GC punts, would go for Thomas but his odds are too short.
Thanks as always for reading! Who do you think will win tomorrow? It could be quite a close TTT. Anyway,
A modern-day classic that this year only celebrates its 11th edition, Strade Bianche is a race that has won the hearts of many, myself included. The mix of rolling terrain, punchy climbs, gravel roads and a finish amongst the picturesque Piazza del Campo make this a great day to sit in front of the television and watch the race unfold. Given the wide-variety of parcours to be tackled, a range of riders have found themselves in contention coming into Siena at the end of the race.
Last year saw poor conditions with rain throughout the day which made the race one of attrition, especially as crashes splintered the peloton on crucial sections of Strade. An elite group of riders forged ahead but it was Michal Kwiatkowski who was rewarded for an incredibly attacking display by taking the victory.
Behind, a trio of Van Avermaet, Wellens and Stybar fought it out for the minor podium places with a sprint up to the Piazza. They came home in that order with the Czech rider losing out.
This year we could be set for another great edition of the race due to an exciting start list but also some incredibly challenging conditions. First though, let’s have a look at the parcours the riders will face.
The Route
At 184km it certainly isn’t the longest race the riders will face all year, heck, there will even be plenty of stages in Grand Tours that are longer, but with 63km of dirt roads in total then it isn’t easy-going in the slightest.
Sectors 5-8 are where the bulk of the “Strade” are, with the last being the most difficult. At 11.5km long big gaps can be made, especially when the rolling nature of the sector is considered. This is where Cancellara used to make his mark and after his third victory in 2016, the sector is nicknamed after the Swiss rider.
Once through Monte Sante Marie there are just over 40kms and only 3 gravel sectors remaining but that doesn’t mean the action is over. With the continual rolling nature of the road there are many potential locations to attack and those at the head of the race need to be attentive for the final hour.
There are two gravel sections in the closing 20kms, both of which involve uphill sections that are steep enough for stinging attacks. However, the flatter sections of road also provide a good launchpad for a move if there is no co-operation in a group. Really, all the riders need to be attentive throughout the closing stages of the day or the race could be lost in a few moments.
The climb up to the Piazza in Siena is sharp but it is short enough that the puncheurs and climbers both have an equal chance to go well on it. Once over the crest, you really want to be at the head of the group as the run-in is very narrow and technical. Leading through the final 200m almost guarantees the win!
Weather Watch
Conditions are looking much better for the race than they were at the start of the week but they will still certainly be grim.
It looks as if it will be wet, wet, wet! The gravel roads will turn to mud and this will certainly make the racing more interesting to watch. It will also test the riders bike handling skills as they make their way down some tricky muddy descents. The winner will definitely deserve it come the end of the day!
Contenders
A wide-open race that has many potential winners amongst the start list, it all depends on how the race is played out. I’m going to go through the “big 5” according to the bookmakers then name three others who I think might have a good chance of the title, so apologies if the list is not as exhaustive as you were hoping for!
Michal Kwiatkowski.
The defending champion returns here in great form having just won the Volta ao Algarve. This is a race that he seems to love and it would not surprise me to see him go and win again, matching Cancellara’s record of three wins. The punchy climbs are great for him but he is also strong enough on the flatter sections to make a difference. Will he get as much freedom as last year? Probably not but given we have both GVA and Sagan here, then he might just profit from their rivalry.
Peter Sagan.
Back for his first race on European soil he’s spent a lot of time recently at altitude camp. It will be interesting to see how that transfers into his performances during races; it might take a little bit for him to get back into the swing of things. Sagan really wants to win San Remo so given the tricky conditions here he might just go 90% with a focus on what is to come. Then again, he is a racer and given his incredible talent, he is in with a great chance of taking a title that is missing from his palmarès.
Zdenek Stybar.
Winner of the 2015 edition the former cyclo-cross star will love the terrible conditions that are forecast. Results wise the start of his season has been so-so but it is his performances that have impressed. He looked strong out on the attack in the final day of the Algarve, forcing those behind to do a lot of work to catch him. He then followed that up with an attacking display in Omloop that ultimately was fruitless in the end. Nonetheless, I’m sure he’ll be happy with his current condition. Last year I picked Stybar as my winner only for him to finish 4th and I’m not sure if I’ve seen anything that much different from him this season to see him finish any higher. He can’t be truly discounted though, especially when the weather is considered and with super-domestique Gilbert to help.
Greg Van Avermaet.
Incredibly consistent at this event he didn’t seem to pack the same punch at Omloop that he normally would. Now, that is probably not a good thing in terms of his chances of winning this race, but it is good for him being on track for the bigger goals slightly further along in the season. Nonetheless, GVA is a classy bike rider and with parcours like this he can’t be discounted. The short punchy climbs and challenging gravel sections are right up his street or should I say “Strade”. Sorry, I’ll let myself out…Saying all that, compared to the rest of the big 5, I just can’t see a situation where he wins.
Alejandro Valverde.
The evergreen rider from Movistar was originally on the start list for this race but it looked as if his participation was in jeopardy after having some stomach issues. He’s over that now and is here to race, I think it might all be a smokescreen anyway. In stupendous form as always, he’s somewhat disappointed at this race in the past only managing to come third on two occasions. That could well change this year!
One interesting thing to note from the “Big 5” is that they are all excellent bike-handlers, something that will be very important tomorrow. Now onto my three picks for the race, all of whom are Italian…
Moreno Moser.
If you’ve kept up with this blog since the start of the season then you would know that this pick was pretty much inevitable! Astana have been flying this year with Moser picking up a great win in Laigueglia, breaking a duck that lasted for a few seasons. It was the way in which he won that race that really impressed me, his attack on the final climb can only be described as brutal. Admittedly the competition was at a lower level than it is here, but he made almost a 50m gap in roughly 200m. Following on from that he then went and worked selflessly for the team in Andalucia, often being the last rider in front of the two Astana leaders going onto the climbs. He arrives here with a strong team and I expect them to play a big part in the race, possibly splitting it early just like Lotto Soudal did last year. If they have numbers in the front group like they did in Omloop, then expect them to repeatedly attack until one gets away. Moreno has a great chance in a situation like that.
Gianni Moscon.
Who needs a snow plough when you can just get a Tractor instead?! Insanely talented, 2017 was not just a normal breakthrough year for the Sky man, I would describe it more as an explosion!
It started off rather innocuously until a very impressive 5th place at Roubaix got things rolling. Solid showings in Route du Sud were then followed with a win in the Italian TT champs and a 5th place in the road race. A second place on Stage 4 of Burgos was a microcosm of what we were going to see in the coming Vuelta; Moscon absolutely blitzing it on the short 2kms climbs and putting everyone into difficulty. A respectable 6th place in the Worlds TT came not long after before a very unrespectable disqualification in the road race. Two more top 10s in the end of season Italian one-day races before a big third place in Lombardia. All in all, not bad!
This year started off with some good outings in the pre-season style races in Spain before actually being the best Sky finisher GC-wise in Valenciana. Since then he’s been at training camps, honing his form. Strade on paper looks like a race that should suit him perfectly. He’s more than likely going to be the last Sky rider with Kwiatkowski and if things are getting cagey he will be the first to attack. If he’s anywhere close to that 5 minute power he showed during the Vuelta, then he is a dark-horse for this race.
Vincenzo Nibali.
Predicting a Nibali peak outside of a Grand Tour is arguably one of the hardest bits of cycling punditry; the guy is an enigma. This is a race he’s attempted in the past but has fallen flat on almost every occasion. Last year was a quite literal example as he crashed before later suffering a flat tyre as well. His start to 2018 has been quiet, using the races in the middle east as training miles before his bigger goals later in the season. I have a feeling though that he really wants to give MSR a proper dig this year so his form will be on the up here. Conditions on Saturday also remind me a lot of that famous Tour de France stage back in 2014 when Nibali went on the attack on the cobbles. He’s not afraid of bad conditions and as an excellent bike handler, he might put some into difficulty on the descents. It will be hard for him to out-punch anyone on the final climb to the Piazza so he more than likely needs to arrive alone, but like with everyone else I’ve mentioned above, it is possible.
Prediction
Moscon to take the win!
Like others, I think we’ll see a fairly tactical race with a lot of looking around at each other by the “Big 5”. Consequently, we’ll see a smaller group with some of the “second tier” riders get away to fight out for the win. If Moscon is at 90% of what he was like in the Vuelta last year, no one will be able to match him up the climb to Piazza del Campo. He’ll take a spectacular but very divisive win!
Betting
Backing the three picks;
1pt EW on them all…
Moscon @ 18/1 (Would take 14)
Nibali @ 80/1 (Would take 50s)
Moser @ 80/1 (Would take 50s)
I’ll take a little longer and have a look at some H2H later. If I find anything I’ll fancy then I’ll post them on Twitter.
Thanks as always for reading! Who do you think will win tomorrow? I’m certainly looking forward to an exciting race! Anyway,
The first round of the Women’s World Tour is upon is and we’re set for a cracking race. Now in its 4th edition, we’ve had some brutal races in the past and I expect that to be no different this year.
2017 saw home-favourite Elisa Longo Borghini take a stunning victory as she outmanoeuvred KasiaNiewiadoma coming into the Piazza del Campo, with Lizzie Deignan taking third.
It wasn’t easy for the trio even though they were the strongest on the day as their refusal to co-operate saw Brand and Gillow launch audacious late counter attacks. They were caught on the climb up to the Piazza in what was a gripping end to a great race and allowed for the spectacular picture above!
Will we see more of the same this year? Let’s take a look at what is in store for the riders.
The Route
Longer than 2017, the riders will face just over 30kms worth of gravel along the 136km route.
The longest section they will traverse comes at around the half-way point in the race and this will be the place where the field starts to split up. I would imagine one or two teams will come to the front and push the pace on, reducing the group down to 50 or so riders.
From there it will be tough to control and we might see a counter attack and a new breakaway form but things will be brought to heel once we enter the closing stages.
The two gravel sections in the closing 20km are where ELB and co did the damage last year. After the first segment we did get a bit of a regrouping but it was just before the final Strade and once again the stronger riders made a difference there. As I mentioned above, it was only due to their lack of co-operation on the rolling 12kms that remained which resulted in Brand and Gillow coming from behind and straight over the top. If they had worked together then those dropped would have had no chance of getting back.
The climb into Siena is brutally steep but at only 500m the puncheurs can hang on with the proper climbers. It is important to be near the front at the crest though because positioning is vital thereafter.
As we saw last year leading through the narrow streets combined with good bike positioning means you can effectively block off anyone from passing, thus securing the win. It’s a tactically shrewd move but one that everyone should be aware of by now. Therefore the “real” finish line is with 200m to go!
Weather Watch
Given the surprising amount of snow that Italy has received over the past week, I’m sure the riders will be glad to know that it will be “just” rain on Saturday.
Although the women look set to have the slightly better conditions with more rainfall expected later on in the day, they are more likely to be on the brunt of stronger winds. Making it six or half a dozen really!
Either way, whoever wins come the end of the race will certainly deserve it.
Contenders
Elisa Longo Borghini.
The defending champion arrives here after a solid outing in Omloop where she was on the attack. A great climber and one-day racer, she is one of the many women who seem to have been around for a while but she is still only 26. Those years of experience started to shine through last year with the win in Strade and good performances elsewhere such as a second at the Giro Rosa. I think she’ll find it difficult to double up but given her consistency here (3rd, 4th, 1st) then I would struggle to argue against her going close. With Audrey Cordon-Ragot as a team-mate she has a someone who can go deep into the race with her and even act as an attacker to force other teams to chase.
Katarzyna Niewiadoma.
With a stage-race already under her belt, the Canyon SRAM rider should be a little bit ahead of her rivals here in terms of racing miles. At that race she finished a fairly modest 7th but it was her performances on the climbs that impressed most, with only Moolman (who’s also here) being able to stick with her. Niewiadoma is another rider who is incredibly consistent at this race having finished 6th/2nd/2nd, she will be looking to finally get one-step higher this year. One massive advantage she will have compared to previous attempts is the strength of her team. Canyon should have both Cecchini and FerrandPrevot in or around the top 10 at this race which means that they should be able to control it due to the numbers they have. Then again, this is Strade and it will be absolutely horrendous out on the roads so “control” might not be the word! I wonder how essential PFP’s cyclocross and mountain bike experience will be.
Megan Guarnier.
The winner of the inaugural edition back in 2015, the American lines up here for her first race of the season. After an exceptional 2016 last year seemed like somewhat of a step back in terms of results, with only two wins to her name. She was exceptionally consistent but given the fighter she is I imagine that she will want to return to those previous levels this season. A strong climber with a fast sprint she has every chance of a win if she has the form. Boels also have the very luxury second option of the Queen of the Ardennes; Anna van der Breggen. She’s finished 5th on both occasions that she has raced here, but with the aim of peaking for the Ardennes again, will she have enough in the locker for a good result this year? Deignan is on one of the start lists that I have looked at but she is not in the official preview on the Boels website so she may or may not be here too! It certainly adds another dynamic if she is.
Ashleigh Moolman.
As already mentioned above, Moolman has some good racing in her legs at Setmana last week. Interestingly, she never finished outside the top 10 on any of the stages and managed to take home second on GC. There is clearly some form there! This is a race she has done in the past with a 4th place in 2015 but she was only capable of 18th last year. It should suit her punchy characteristics and given she has been involved in a few sprints, her power figures must be good for the short and sharp efforts. Such a classy rider, could she be described as a dark horse for this race?
Amanda Spratt.
With Garfoot no longer on the team and Van Vleuten competing in Apeldoorn the mantle of leading Mitchelton Scott is left with “Spratty”. Having won the Women’s Tour Down Under she has returned to racing in Europe in an attacking mood, having been off the front of both the Belgian races last weekend. Just missing out on the key move last year she finished strongly to come home in 8th place. She’s certainly capable of improving on that this season and a top 5 is possible. I’m intrigued to see how team-mate Kennedy goes in these conditions.
Janneke Ensing.
Full of confidence after winning Le Samyn des Dames on Tuesday the Ale Cipollini rider will be hoping to improve on a 13th place last year. She’s a solid climber although she isn’t up there with the best in the discipline. However, theoretically she should love the grim conditions that are forecast for Saturday given her background in speed skating. With an attacking attitude, she might be able to sneak away from the “major contenders” and just surprise everyone by holding on.
Shara Gillow.
The second Australian in the list, she had to unfortunately cut short her racing time Down Under due to a crash. However, she returned at Setmana and finished a very respectable 8th on GC. Apparently attacking to bridge the gap to the leaders on the opening stage, she was closed down by their team-mates. Her form must be good and she is always a consistent performer in the hilly one-day races. I expect a top 10 and anything near the top of the order wouldn’t surprise me too much but it would be difficult to win as she is not the punchiest!
One other name that I want to throw out there (mainly because she is in my season-long fantasy team) is Pauliena Rooijakers.
I can’t imagine many of you will have heard of the WaowDeals rider but she is the former Dutch and European Beachrace champion. After competing in that discipline full time in past few years this season her focus will be more on the road. A capable climber on her day she won the Queen Stage of the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche last year, along with a few notable top 10’s in hilly one-day races. Her background in beach racing should see her at home on the Strade and I’m quietly hoping for a good result; a top 10 would be an incredible achievement.
Prediction
Form, team, parcours and race history all point to one rider; Katarzyna Niewiadoma.
She is a truly incredible bike rider with a string of great results and it is amazing to think she is still only 23! Punchy enough to cope with the accelerations on the climbs, I have a feeling we didn’t see her go 100% in Setmana and she was holding something back for this race. The one big advantage she has compared to last year is the strength of her team which will be a big help; she shouldn’t have to chase every attack herself. On the sprint up to the Piazza no one will be able to follow her and she’ll take a great win.
I’m not someone to make outlandish, season-long claims…wait, no, I am, but I think she will be World Champion this year. No pressure Kasia!
Coverage
Much like last year, I think we’re going to be able to watch the final 45 minutes of the race live on Eurosport player. I’m not 100% sure at the moment as it doesn’t specify on the schedule but that seems to be the case. It will more than likely be without commentary though so I’ll pester your Twitter timelines with updates instead!
Thanks as always for reading! I’m certainly looking forward to the Women’s World Tour starting again with this incredible race. Who do you think will win on Saturday? Will we see an upset? I don’t normally beg for anything but if you could please retweet the preview to share it around then that would be greatly appreciated; my women’s previews unfortunately don’t seem to get the same coverage as the men’s do. Anyway,
MyTwoSpokesWorth 