Easy rider magazine past issues11/30/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() It’ll be a hard task to keep it on the time-trial but I think she’ll hold on for a famous British podium in Pau. She’ll stick with the main contenders as the splits happen on the first six stages before putting in a breakthrough ride on the Col du Tourmalet to catapult herself onto the podium. Israel-Premier Tech’s 36-year-old Brit Claire Steels (above) only stepped up to the top level of women’s racing this year but she’s been growing into really good form with sixth overall at the Tour de Suisse and second in the super-hilly British National Championships road race. Riding in support of Silvia Persico will see Gasparrini rack up an advantage over her contenders to maintain it over the Tourmalet. UAE Team ADQ’s Eleonora Gasparrini didn’t make it to the two mountain stages at last year’s race but she’s a strong all-rounder with a big sprint, recently winning Stage 3 of the Tour de Suisse and missing out on that white jersey by a second. The race will split constantly with so many hard stages. With the Tour de France Femmes being under-23 rather than under-25, the field is incredibly small, but that means anyone could win it. White jersey: Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ) That means she can sneak points in early stages before finishing strong on the Tourmalet. The 23-year-old is an incredibly talented climber, finishing fifth on that stage to Lagos de Covadonga, but with Kasia Niewiadoma leading the team she won’t have the pressure to save legs for the GC fight. The inclusion of the Tourmalet makes this one difficult as the winner of that stage will get a huge amount of points, so it’ll need to be a concerted effort throughout the race as well as a strong finish on that stage. Polka dot jersey: Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon-SRAM) It obviously won’t be easy against Vos but Wiebes has the added benefit of being on the best team in the race. Yes she was one of the peloton’s few out-and-out sprinters, but she has shown on several occasions this season that she can not only make it over climbs but she can win on short punchy finishes. Green jersey: Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx)Īs you’ll find out through my colleagues’ selections, Lorena Wiebes’ climbing capability has become underrated. It won’t be easy to be Van Vleuten on the Col du Tourmalet but this is Vollering’s year. She’s been far and away the world’s best rider in 2023 and even beat Annemiek van Vleuten on the Queen Stage of the Vuelta to Lagos de Covadonga. ![]() I’ve been a fan of Demi Vollering for a few years now and being a single day her senior I feel a strong responsibility to have her back. ![]()
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