The Art of Cycling: July 2023

Sunday, July 30, 2023

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 8: Claiming Her Crown

Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) started the day last fully kitted out in yellow. She had an awesome day on the Col du Tourmalet, and I don't use the word lightly. She could have eased off a bit, but instead went flat out in hopes of winning the time trial in yellow on the final day of the Tour de France Femmes. She came just ten seconds of that goal, coming in second to her teammate Marlen Reusser. Even more impressive for the SD Worx-Protime team, the erstwhile Maillot Jaune (and now Maillot Vert) took third on the day just thirty eight seconds behind her stage winning teammate.

This will probably be might last cycling post for the season. I will watch, but most likely not paint, the UCI Road World Championships in Scotland. And I will not be painting the Veulta. Just like many riders, I just don't have it in me to do more than one Grand Tour per season.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3969068-196-297438/Painting/claiming-her-crown-tdff23-52.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 8: Finishing Strong

Finishing strong is the perfect description of the last two days for Juliette Labous (DSM-firmenich). Yesterday she started the day in tenth place moving herself up to sixth with her attacking ride on the Col du Tourmalet. Today she still had the legs to finish sixth on the day which put her up into the top five of the second edition of the Tour de France Femmes. Her French fans along the final kilometer were thrilled to see one of their countrywomen placing so high in their home race. They also have another countrywoman finishing the race in the White Jersey of the best young rider. French cycling is looking good for the future, at least in the women's peloton.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3969067-195-297438/Painting/finishing-strong-tdff23-51.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 8: Look at These Polka Dots

Both Katarzyna Niewiadoma's (Canyon-SRAM) red bib number and her Maillot a Pois are a direct result of her incredible stage yesterday. She was definitely the most aggressive rider on both the upside and the downside of the Col d'Aspin as well as almost the entire climb up the Col du Tourmalet. Her efforts on both mountains, the largest in this year's Tour Femmes, garnered her enough points to take the lead in the Queen of the Mountains competition. Her exploits also wooed the judges to earned her the title of most aggressive rider of the previous stage. She looks good in red, with red spots. She rode her best time trial of her career, but she was just barely out ridden by Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) who wore the green jersey compliment to these red spots. I wonder if it is intentional that the colors are complimentary (opposite from each other on the color wheel) and the skills that win won jersey are the opposite of those that win the other. In other words, most climbers are not very good at sprinting, and most sprinters really struggle with climbing. However, Lotte Kopecky seems rather skilled at doing both. And her time trial skills were evident today as well.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3969066-194-297438/Painting/look-at-these-polka-dots-tdff23-50.html

Tour de France 23, Stage 8: From Yellow to Green

Wasn't it sweet of the race coverage to find this image so I could make this point? All week while wearing the Maillot Jaune, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) has also owned the Maillot Vert, too. Today having lost her lead in the Tour de France Femmes to her teammate on the climb of the Col du Tourmalet, she started the day in green instead. Kopecky started the day in fourth place in the general classification, but went out determined to get herself back onto the final podium of the Tour de France Femmes. She succeeded. She actually put herself into second by mere tenths of a second over Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM). That had to be the closest margin ever in a grand tour for either the women's or the men's pro tour. Kopecky has had an amazing Tour Femmes!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3969049-193-297438/Painting/from-yellow-to-green-tdff23-49.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 8: Young, Fast, and Alone

Elia Wyllie (Lifeplus-Wahoo) was the only woman to give Cedine Kerboal (Ceratizit-WNT) a fight for the White Jersey of the best young rider in this Tour de France Femmes. She had to go out on course before Kerboal, but she was definitely setting strong time splits out on course. However, by the end of the day she had dropped another minute and a half on her rival for the Maillot Blanc, but she can be proud that third place in the competition was another twenty minutes back. After watching this TdFF, I have great hope for the quality of women's cycling coming up through the peloton.

One of the other reasons I painted this was that I make a concerted effort to paint at least one painting from every team in the race. Sometimes, particularly in single day or one week races, that simply isn't possible. This week I didn't paint anyone from two of twenty-two teams. So, not too bad of an effort if I do say so myself.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3969047-192-297438/Painting/young-fast-and-alone-tdff23-48.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 8: Almost a Minute

As Marlen Reusser (SD Worx-Protime) in her European Time Trial Champion's jersey made the final turn of the out and back course in Pau, it was looking like she might beat the just set new best time of Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) by a minute. When she got to the line it he time was forty seconds better than the Australian Champion. She had the new best time, a time that won her the stage even after the Maillot Jaune finished her ride. The only two to seriously challenge her lead were her own teammates. Clearly, there is a reason that SD Worx-Protime have the yellow bib numbers of the best team in the Tour. It does seem appropriate that the markings on the road seemed to mimic the checker flag of the winner of the race.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3969044-191-297438/Painting/almost-a-minute-tdff23-47.html

Tour de France Femmes, Stage 8, Just Underway

It was a treat to see Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) start out the final stage of this Tour de France Femmes in her Australian National TT Champion's jersey. I've got to say that FDJ know how to make a great looking national jersey for both the women and the men. I'm talking to you UAE Team ADQ and UAE Team Emirates. Brown got underway in Pau to a ride that was the best time as she finished her loop out and back to Pau. She ended her day in fourth overall once those vying for the podium of the Tour had had their say. She did well to finish the Tour in 35th as she rode in service of her teammates throughout the previous seven days of racing.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3969042-190-297438/Painting/just-underway-tdff23-46.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: The Stage, the Jersey, Perhaps the Tour!

The mist was thick atop the Tourmalet, but not so thick that we couldn't see Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) come alone to the top of the climb. She had left everyone behind. The closest to her was Niewiadoma and she came through the fog just shy of two minutes later. The effort clearly won her the stage, and her margin of victory was enough for her to take over the lead in the second Tour de France Femmes. She now leads the race by a minute and fifty seconds over the woman who was second to her on the stage. Clearly, the twenty second penalty she got back in stage four turned out to be of no consequence.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968947-189-297438/Painting/the-stage-the-jersey-perhaps-the-tour-tdff23-45.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: Alone in the Clouds

It was stunning to watch Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) go on the attack in the final kilometers of the Tourmalet. She had dropped those she was with and went searching through the mist for the lone leader, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM). While riding through one of the snow tunnels on the way up to the peak she caught an passed the Polish woman. Niewiadoma tried to catch the wheel of the flying Belgium, but just no longer had the legs to hold onto her wheel. I loved the sight of her climbing through the barely visible crowds looming in the low hanging cloud near the summit of the Col. With roughly five kilometers left to climb she had already put twenty-two seconds into the former leader on the road, another fifteen seconds into the former winner, Annemiek Van Vleutin, and still another forty seconds into the Maillot Jaune on the shoulders of her teammate, Lotte Kopecky.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968946-188-297438/Painting/alone-in-the-clouds-tdff23-44.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: Going Again

Juliette Labous (DSM-firmenich) had tried twice to escape from the others on the Col du Tourmalet. That didn't mean she wasn't going to try one more time to slip away from Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime), Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar), and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step). She was hoping they would be to busy watching each other to see her attack from the back of the group. Alas, they weren't letting anyone else get away from them on the climb of the Tourmalet.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968943-187-297438/Painting/going-again-tdff23-43.html

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: Alone on the Tourmalet

Katarzyn Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) used her superior descending skills to drop her erstwhile companions building up over a minute on the way down the back side of the Col d'Aspin. It was a very short trip across the valley before she was onto the lower slopes of the Col du Tourmalet. She still had a minute as she went alone up the final climb of the second Tour de France Femmes. Behind her were both the red Skoda of the race commissare as well as the blue motorcycling provided by Shimano ready to provide neutral support should the Polish rider need mechanical assistance. If she can make this stick she can earn herself both the Maillot Jaune of race leader and the Maillot a Pois of the Queen of the Mountains.

Spoiler Alert: She didn't take over the Maillot Jaune, but she moved into second place on the general classification a minute and fifty seconds behind the new race leader. But she did manage to claim the lead in the Queen of the Mountains competition. She should go out of the TdFF winning the Maillot a Pois with a time trial for the final stage of this year's race.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968942-186-297438/Painting/alone-on-the-tourmalet-tdff23-42.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: The Same Three

You can glean a lot of information from the bib numbers on the backs of these jersey. The bib number that ends in a one is the team's leader. The first bib number, the number 1, goes to the defending champion of a particular race (assuming they are there to defend their title the next year). The same is true for the number eleven except that they were second the prior year, and the twenty-one would have been third. Clearly it is looking like the race is going to come down to the same three women again this year. The question remains, what order will they be in on the final podium. Then there are the jersey that the bib numbers are on. Number one is on the Rainbow jersey of the UCI Road World Champion, and the number eleven is on the magenta jersey of the Women's World Tour points leader. Only Katarzyn Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) is wearing her own team kit. Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) is in the Rainbow bands, and Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) is who is leading in the WWT points race. Clearly some very gifted riders are of the front of the peloton on the Col d'Aspin.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968941-185-297438/Painting/the-same-three-tdff23-41.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: Attacking on the Col d'Aspin

Just because everyone knows you are going to do something at a certain point, it doesn't mean they are going to be able to keep it from succeeding. Once the last of her teammates had rolled off the front Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) launched her attack on the Col d'Aspin. Most had figured she wouldn't wait until the final climb, so it was expected. At first the only two that could go with the acceleration were Katarzyn Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step). Trying to catch on, but not quite making the jump was Juliette Labous (DSM-firmenich). This was looking like what would determine the final destination of the Maillot Jaune for the second edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. But there is about nine kilometers to climb on this category one climb and then it will be up to the top of the Haute Catagorie Col du Tourmalet.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968940-184-297438/Painting/attacking-on-the-col-daspin-tdff23-40.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: Checking on the Polka Dots

On the Col d'Aspin Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) in her Maillot a Pois, was being looked after by her teammate Julie Van De Velde, who had worn the polka dots for a day herself. On the climb they dropped off the lead group but formed a second peloton with Alena Amialiusik (UAE Team ADQ), Caroline Andersson (Liv Racing TeqFind) and others. Hopefully, Kastelijn was just going through a rough patch and would soon be able to catch the leaders. She will need to score points on this climb if she wants to ensure that she will go out of the Tour de France Femmes as the Queen of the Mountains.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968909-183-297438/Painting/checking-on-the-polka-dots-tdff23-39.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: No Escape

Despite attack after attack going in the opening kilometers of the penultimate stage of the Tour de France Femmes, no one was being allowed to escape the peloton. It felt like every time we saw the front of the group it was another Lidl-Trek woman attempting to launch off the front. This time it is Lizzie Deignan going for another try with Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) and the rest of the peloton covering her move. At this point it had been eleven kilometers of attacks, catches, and counter attacks, over and over, and still no one was off the front. With two big climbs awaiting the roughly 140 still in the Tour de France Femmes, I thought they would have been happy to let a small group go so they could approach the back half of a hard, hard stage a bit more easily.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968907-182-297438/Painting/no-escape-tdff23-38.html

Friday, July 28, 2023

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Just Enough Road

When a break away is caught by the peloton just in sight of the finish line the expression is "if the road had been just a bit shorter," or " the line a bit closer." Today Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) had dug deep enough to hold off the charging peloton by a mere second. She was the last to join the other two in the early break, and she was also the last to be caught, oh, wait a minute, she wasn't caught. One of her break away companions did get swamped by the peloton but stayed in close enough to still finish in the top ten on the stage. Behind the Norwegian, the sprint went to Charlotte Kool (DSM-firmenich) just edging out the Maillot Jaune, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime). I can't see her but apparently Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) took fourth. Visible are Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM) taking fifth and Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ). I believe that makes four of the six stages thus far in the Tour de France Femmes have been won by a solo rider who went in either an early, or in Kopecky's case a very late break.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968626-181-297438/Painting/just-enough-ride-tdff23-37.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Tuning the Radio

I'm sorry, the title was just too tempting. The UCI Road World Champion, Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) and the defending champion of the first Tour de France Femmes, had been raising her arm to call up her team car. It was first suspected that one of her tires were going flat, but that turned out not to be the case. As she rode out of the intermediate sprint town of Hameau de Rastel, apparently, her race radio had failed. Unable to tell the team what was wrong, or to find out information from the team director, she dropped back to get it fix. The mechanic must have been relieved not to have to put his fingers anywhere near the spinning wheels to set things right. With no time outs, and the commissares being rather strict, the mechanic had to do the repair while out the window of the fast moving car.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968624-180-297438/Painting/tuning-the-radio-tdff23-36.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Caring for Her Young Teammate

Earlier in the stage, the White Jersey of Cedrine Kerbaol (Certizit-WNT) had been dangling off the back of the peloton. Apparently, she recovered by the time the peloton had just thirty-one kilometers to reach Blagnac. Nestled in the embrace of the peloton it seems that her teammate Kathrin Schweinberger had a few encouraging words for the best placed young rider in this Tour de France Femmes. Just ahead of her I could make out the number of Barbara Malcotti (Human Powered Health). Also around her were women on the teams of Jayco-Alula, EF Education-TIBCO-SVB, and Israel-Premier Tech. Now that she is back into the peloton it is probably safe to assume she will be able to keep the Maillot Blanc of best young rider that she has had from the opening stage for at least one more day. Dispite the evidence of today, she is reportedly a good climber so perhaps tomorrow's ascent of both the Col d'Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet won't endanger the jersey either.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968622-179-297438/Painting/caring-for-her-young-teammate-tdff23-35.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Working Together

With Agnieszka Salniak-Sojka (Canyon-SRAM) up the road, and Sandra Alonso (Ceratizit-WNT) somewhere in the middle, Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) took off in search of the escapees. As Norsgaard got up with Alonso, the former was able to jump onto the wheel of the Norwegian. By the time she reached Salniak-Sojka, there was only about forty-two kilometers left to race. As her director sportif passed an ice sock the two rolled pass the 800 kilometers ridden in this Tour de France Femmes. The trio worked well together and increased their lead over the peloton to just shy of two minutes. Again, today is the last stage of the race that could be considered a day for the sprinters so I would assume it was unlikely these three will be vying for the win in Blagnac.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968608-178-297438/Painting/working-together-tdff23-34.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Getting Something Going

It looked like Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) was about pull some of the big names of the Tour Femmes out of the peloton. Lidl-Trek has been having one of the team go off the front after another in hopes of making an escape stick. This time Spratt's move was covered by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM). Behind her one of the members of the Jumbo-Visma team was making sure the team had a member in the break if this one worked. It didn't.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968606-177-297438/Painting/getting-something-going-tdff23-33.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Filming the Break

The first break away that stuck had been a duo, but with eighty-six kilometers to race Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Canyon-SRAM) had dropped her erstwhile companion and was off on her own. At this point, she had but forty seconds into her former companion and the peloton was another minute further back. It is a tall order for her to expect to stay off the front alone on a day that is earmarked for the sprinters. And it is the last day for the sprinters as well.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968603-176-297438/Painting/filming-the-break-tdff23-32.html

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: All Alone

She did it! Ricarda Bauernfiend (Canyon-SRAM) had left the grip of the peloton of favorites to grab bonus seconds some thirty kilometers ago. She quickly built a minute and a half on the groups she left (plus and eight second bonus) as she went solo to Albi. Despite the best efforts of some very celebrated riders, they were never able to reel her back into the fold. She was then chased by two national champions who couldn't get closer than ten seconds to the young German. Her efforts not only won her the stage (and the first win for her team) but she moved up to ninth place on the general classification. I would be surprised if she wasn't wearing the red bib numbers of the most combative rider of Stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968200-175-297438/Painting/all-alone-tdff23-31.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: Chasing Champions

I suppose I should have titled this "Champions Chasing." This duo used the final descent to break free of the peloton and go after the lone break away. The two had ten seconds on the peloton but still had to make up another twenty-three seconds on Ricarda Bauerfiend with just two and a half kilometers to race. The German Champion, Laine Lippert (Moivstar) and the Swiss Champion, Marlen Reusser (SD Worx-Protime) seemed to be more concerned about trying to out smart the other to be able to work together to chase the rider up the road. In addition, each were riding in defense of their respective team leaders, so at least they can hope to suck up any remaining bonus seconds at the finish line.

The two never got closer than twenty-two seconds to Bauerfiend, and the peloton never got closer than the ten seconds that they have right now.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968195-174-297438/Painting/chasing-champions-tdff23-30.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: Flying into Albi

Ricarda Bauerfeind (Canyon-SRAM) was keeping the peloton at bay as she descended down into Albi. With a thirty-six second advantage with just six and a half kilometers to race the only company she had was the Shimano neutral service moto. With every turn of her pedals, well in this case her wheels, it was seeming more likely that we were going to be treated to yet another solo victory in the second Tour de France Femmes. And from a relative neophyte to the women's pro peloton, at that. She definitely has the legal aero-tuck down. It looks to me like the motos are having trouble keeping up with her even on these wide sweeping turns.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968194-173-297438/Painting/flying-into-albi-tdff23-29.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: Showing Her the Way

Throughout the men's Tour de France, I was struck by these banners both directing the riders and warning them of impeding danger. Somehow I never got the right image of the riders and the banner together. As Ricarda Bauerfeind (Canyon-SRAM) went pass one of these that turned her from a bit of traffic calming furniture, the image finally came together. Bauerfeind had jumped free of the peloton with another as she raced towards the bonus seconds six kilometers ago. She used that move to keep driving on her own toward Albi. In just six kilometers she had but just shy of a minute and a half into the small peloton of Tour Femmes favorites. With another twenty kilometers to race, it is right on the bubble if she will be able to stay clear, or will she, too, be caught within sight of the finish line.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968191-172-297438/Painting/showing-her-the-way-tdff23-28.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: Seconds Matter

With two riders up the road there was just one more time bonus of two seconds still available as this trio broke free of the peloton of favorites. Ashleigh Moolman-Passio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) sprinted for the seconds despite Liane Lippert (Movistar) trying to grab the bonus in defense of her teammate Annemeik Van Vleutin. Also vying for the bonus is Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime). Moolman-Pasio got there first (well third actually) moving her into second place just two seconds ahead of three others and just over a minute ahead of Vollering. She is still trailing the Maillot Jaune by forty-nine seconds.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968190-171-297438/Painting/seconds-matter-tdff23-27.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: You Wouldn't

Yesterday, Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) lost her lead in the Queen of the Mountains competition to Anouska Koster (Uno-X). However, she could consul herself with winning both the title of most combative rider of the stage, and more importantly, her first professional victory. I suspect that is a fair trade off for most. Apparently, not for her. She went over the first climb first as her rival for the polka dots struggled to hold onto the back of the peloton. As they neared the summit of the Cote de Laquepie she looked over at Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) to see if she was going to contest for the points on offer in a couple of hundred meters. Spratt shook her head. She was looking for stage honors and had no reason to contest the sprint for points. Nevertheless, Kastelijn took no chances and sprinted away to reclaim her Maillot a Pois. Behind her, still wearing the Maillot Vert on loan from the race leader in yellow, Asheigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) just watches in case someone launches an attack to get away from the peloton.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968160-170-297438/Painting/you-wouldnt-tdff23-26.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: Losing Ground

As the peloton hit the base of the first climb of the day, the Cote de Najaac riders began to pop off the back. I wasn't that surprised to see Teniel Campbell (Jayco-Alula) slipping away. She is a remarkable tall rider and must find the climbs a bit more difficult than the wee women that are born to climb. A little more of a surprise is seeing Anouska Koster (Uno-X) in the Maillot a Pois having trouble staying with the leaders. I am sure she spent quite a lot of energy attacking in the first four stages of the race to gain the points that earned her the title of Queen of the Mountains. But she need not fear for those polka dots, she has enough of a lead that with one exception she has enough points to keep this jersey on her shoulders. Unfortunately for Koster, that woman, Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) was in the group ahead. On the upside, Koster did catch back up to the leader's peloton.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968151-169-297438/Painting/losing-ground-tdff23-25.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: A Bit Sticky

First Evy Kuijpers (Fenix-Deceuninck) and then Sanne Cant took a bottle from the team car, although I believe Sanne's bottle was a bit sticky. If you don't know, that is what it is called when the rider grabs the bottle and the person in the car doesn't let go right away, somethimes even as the car accelerates, thus speeding the rider back up. Sometimes a rider can be fined or even disqualified for this move, although that is usually on the big climbs of a stage. The junior Giro saw seven guys get eliminated from the race for holding on to a car on the biggest climb of the race. Just ahead Kathrin Hammes (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and a teammate are struggling with the Fenix-Deceunick women to get back to the tail of the peloton. You may be able to just make out that Julie Van de Velde is just in front of her other two teammates.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968147-168-297438/Painting/a-bit-sticky-tdff23-24.html

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 4: Winning Her First, Winning Alone!

Unlike her teammate in stage 3, Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) was able to hold off the peloton's charge to win the stage. I'm sure it helped that there were two categorized climbs in the final fifteen kilometers of the stage, and a steep ramp up to the line in Rodez. While she wasn't able to keep the Maillot a Pois in her team, she was able to get her first professional race victory, and to do it alone! Naturally, she will also was designated the most combative rider of the stage, I believe that is the third such honor for the team out of four stages. She finished just over a minute ahead of the favorites and moved herself up to seventh overall in the general classification. That's a jump of 25 places! Chapeau!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967887-167-297438/Painting/winning-her-first-winning-alone-tdff23-23.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 4: Attacking Her Rivals

Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) in her magenta WWT Points Jersey has been having a very quiet opening stages of the Tour de France Femmes. That is until the final climb of stage 4. She jumped clear of the group of favorites as they neared the top of the Cote de Laverahe. As Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) in her Rainbow Jersey was fortunate that her teammate Sheyla Gutierrez had dropped back from the lead group to help Van Vleutin re-catch Vollering's wheel. Behind Vollering's teammate Lotte Kopecky in the Maillot Jaune dropped away with both Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) - the Italian champion - and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quickstep). I am just realizing as I type this that only one of six women in this painting are in their regular team kit. It truly is a very elite group attacking the final categorized climb of the day.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967884-166-297438/Painting/attacking-her-rivals-tdff23-22.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 4: Is Second Enough for First?

Anouska Koster (Uno-X) has been very aggressive throughout the opening stages of this Tour de France Femmes. Today was no different. She got into the break and mopped up all of the climbs before the race came on air. She had lost the wheel of two of those who had been in the break, but by the time she got to the top of the Cote de Moyrazes, there was just one woman up the road. The question was, is this second place and its three points going to be enough to win her the next lead in the Queen of the Mountains? Once we knew what had happened on the previous climb (bad TV editing made it impossible to know who went over the Cote de Colombies until the stats were posted. The answer, yes it was. She is now the Maillot a Pois virtuale. She was followed over the climb by Sheyla Gutierrez (Movistar) and Thalita De Jong (Liv Racing TeqFind). There is one more climb today, but Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) could not overtake her QOM lead even if she stays off the front over that climb.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967881-165-297438/Painting/is-first-enough-for-second-tdff23-21.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 4: Mounting Her Own Defense

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) dropped everyone on the descent of the Cote de Moyrazes. She was hoping to bridge up to the leaders to defend her Maillot Jaune. She certainly didn't seem very willing to let it go just yet. With eighteen kilometers to the finish of the stage, she had built a forty-five second lead on her erstwhile companions but was still just over three minutes behind the leader out on course. She would need to get to just over two and a half minutes behind her to keep that yellow jersey on her shoulders. It does make me question her claim that she is riding for her team leader. After all, Demi Vollering is nowhere to be seen.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967873-164-297438/Painting/mounting-her-own-defense-tdff23-20.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 4, Going Clear of the Peloton

Every post race interview Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) swears she is riding in aide of her team leader, Demi Vollering, yet she is still in the Maillot Jaune. With her lead in the Tour de France Femmes slipping away to those in the break away up the road, she finally has a dig to get away from the peloton and up to those who are threating her lead. She was quickly marked by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) and the duo of Annemiek Van Vleutin and Liane Lippert (Movistar). Collectively, these six (there is a UAE Team ADQ rider mixed in there too) are a number of those that are favored for the over all once the peloton reaches Pau on Sunday. But there is quite a bit of racing today and over the next four days yet to be fought.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967868-163-297438/Painting/going-clear-of-the-peloton-tdff23-19.html