After back-to-back races at RideLondon Classique and Tour of Britain Ladies, the top-tier peloton returns to racing in Europe for the four-day Tour de Suisse Ladies held from June 15-18.
The stronger climbers of the peloton will return to racing in Switzerland as a lot of them had competed within the extra mountainous phases races in Spain in early Could earlier than taking day trip to recuperate in the course of the sprinter-friendly occasions on British soil.
The Tour de Suisse won’t be probably the most mountainous occasion on the calendar, however it’s a difficult route that may probably see the pure climbers and highly effective breakaway specialists excel. With a mid-race time trial additionally on the menu, there may be all to play for throughout the 4 days of racing which, for a lot of, may even present a constructing block towards the longer stage races of the Giro d’Italia Ladies in July and the Tour de France Femmes in August.
Cyclingnews seems on the riders to look at within the fourth version of the Tour de Suisse Ladies.
Defending champion Marlen Reusser has opted to skip the Tour de Suisse Ladies this yr, however SD Worx-Protime nonetheless subject the outright favorite in Demi Vollering.
The Dutch Champion completed second total in final yr’s version and has the power and expertise to present her group a second consecutive victory. She comes into the race recovered from her back-to-back wins at Vuelta España Femenina, Itzulia Ladies, and Vuelta a Burgos, with the purpose being to maintain her profitable streak alive.
It’s also the primary take a look at of the following section of the season, which all level towards her main targets on the Olympic Video games and the Tour de France Femmes. In reality, Vollering has just lately returned from previewing all eight phases, together with Alpe d’Huez, whereas travelling throughout France on a coaching vacation in her camper.
The course can be well-suited to Vollering, who has confirmed her means to succeed throughout hilly terrain, time trials and within the mountains. It could not be stunning if SD Worx-Protime dominated in all 4 phases and gained the general classification.
Elise Chabbey provides her residence crowds an actual contender to cheer for on the Tour de Suisse Ladies. She completed second total in 2021 and fifth final yr.
Chabbey’s success on the Tour de Suisse Ladies has grown from her power and skill to learn a race and be a part of probably the most decisive breakaways, and he or she typically zeros in on gaining factors towards particular classes such because the mountain classification.
It could not be stunning to see Chabbey race in a similar way this yr. Even whereas probably working in a help function for her teammate Kasia Niewiadoma, the rider who final month completed within the prime 5 at each Vuelta a Burgos and Itzulia Ladies might land herself a stage win and one other prime putting within the total classification.
Chabbey is perhaps considerably of a wildcard for Canyon-SRAM, however her consistency lies in her dedication to race aggressively, roll the cube, and take advantage of each stage.
The Italian Champion returns to the Tour de Suisse Ladies after ending third final yr behind SD Worx teammates Reusser and Vollering. She took a month-long break from competitors following the Vuelta España Femenina and so shall be considerably of a wildcard, too.
Even when she isn’t at her greatest, Longo Borghini will undoubtedly race for each phases and basic classification. She has a stable group to help her aggressive model of racing, together with Brodie Chapman and Amanda Spratt, and the squad additionally has a pure climber in Gaia Realini.
Whereas it’s a top-tier occasion, the 4 days of racing supply considerably of a gauge for Longo Borghini to check her kind on the hills, in a time trial, and in opposition to a few of her primary rivals in greater occasions up forward.
FDJ-SUEZ could have two main playing cards to play with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Évita Muzic. Uttrup Ludwig solely just lately returned to racing on the Vuelta a Burgos after taking three months off to recuperate from a fractured sacrum.
She just lately competed on the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and seems to be on her solution to rebuilding her kind towards targets later in the summertime. The Tour de Suisse ought to present indication of the place her strengths are and what she wants to enhance on earlier than tackling occasions just like the Giro d’Italia Ladies and the Tour de France Femmes.
Muzic may very well be the extra probably contender for the general classification at this level, having proven promising outcomes earlier this yr; fourth at Flèche Wallonne, fifth at Vuelta España Femenina and second at Vuelta a Burgos.
She just lately expressed her disappointment over not being chosen by the French group to compete on the Olympic Video games, and so Muzic will undoubtedly wish to take advantage of the top-tier stage racing together with her commerce group FDJ-SUEZ.
Juliette Labous earned a spot on the French group for the Olympic Video games and so her efficiency on the Tour de Suisse will probably be one of many first steps towards Paris.
She has had one among her greatest seasons up to now, with a fourth total at Vuelta España Femenina and third total at Itzulia Ladies. Like a lot of her rivals, Labous took an extended break after competing within the Ardennes Classics and Spanish stage races and is probably going recovered and able to start rebuilding her kind.
Workforce dsm-firmenich PostNL will go all-in for Labous with a strong help group on the climbs of Becky Storrie, Nienke Vinke, and Eglantine Rayer.
She has additionally honed in on her time trial power, so look ahead to her to realize time within the total classification on stage 2, whereas holding her personal in opposition to the likes of Vollering and Longo Borghini throughout the difficult hills in Switzerland.
EF Training-Cannondale is having a profitable debut season, with the brand new Continental outfit turning heads in practically each race they enter. The group has a number of riders to look at, together with one other residence favorite, Noemi Rüegg, American Kristen Faulkner and New Zealand’s Kim Cadzow.
Rüegg gained the primary race of the season for the group at Trofeo Felanitx-Colònia de Sant Jordi, after which went on to position second at Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx, eighth at Durango – Durango Emakumeen Saria and sixth total at Vuelta a Burgos.
Her teammate Faulkner has equally shined, profitable Omloop van het Hageland, taking two stage wins and second total at Trofeo Ponente in Rosa, a stage win and twelfth total at Vuelta España Femenina and victory within the street race and second within the time trial on the USA Professional Street Championships. Faulkner additionally has ample expertise on the Tour de Suisse Ladies, having completed second total behind Lucinda Model in 2022 after one of the thrilling races of that season.
Then there may be Cadzow, who was seventeenth total when she debuted on the race final yr however since then the relative newcomer to the peloton has proven appreciable progress. Other than profitable New Zealand’s time trial title and the Trofeo Ponente in Rosa the 22 yr previous has delivered a sixth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and prime ten total at Vuelta España Femenina.
