After back-to-back races at RideLondon Classique and Tour of Britain Women, the top-tier peloton returns to racing in Europe for the four-day Tour de Suisse Women held from June 15-18.
The stronger climbers of the peloton will return to racing in Switzerland as lots of them had competed within the extra mountainous levels races in Spain in early May earlier than taking day out to get better 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 can possible 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, can even present a constructing block towards the longer stage races of the Giro d’Italia Women in July and the Tour de France Femmes in August.
Cyclingnews seems to be on the riders to observe within the fourth version of the Tour de Suisse Women.
Defending champion Marlen Reusser has opted to skip the Tour de Suisse Women this yr, however SD Worx-Protime nonetheless area 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 crew a second consecutive victory. She comes into the race recovered from her back-to-back wins at Vuelta España Femenina, Itzulia Women, and Vuelta a Burgos, with the goal being to maintain her profitable streak alive.
It can be the primary check of the subsequent section of the season, which all level towards her main targets on the Olympic Games and the Tour de France Femmes. In truth, Vollering has not too long ago returned from previewing all eight levels, 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 capability to succeed throughout hilly terrain, time trials and within the mountains. It wouldn’t be stunning if SD Worx-Protime dominated in all 4 levels and received the general classification.
Elise Chabbey provides her residence crowds an actual contender to cheer for on the Tour de Suisse Women. She completed second total in 2021 and fifth final yr.
Chabbey’s success on the Tour de Suisse Women has grown from her power and talent to learn a race and be a part of probably the most decisive breakaways, and she or he typically zeros in on gaining factors towards particular classes such because the mountain classification.
It wouldn’t be stunning to see Chabbey race similarly 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 Women may land herself a stage win and one other prime inserting within the total classification.
Chabbey is likely to be considerably of a wildcard for Canyon-SRAM, however her consistency lies in her willpower to race aggressively, roll the cube, and take advantage of each stage.
The Italian Champion returns to the Tour de Suisse Women 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 might be considerably of a wildcard, too.
Even if she is just not at her greatest, Longo Borghini will undoubtedly race for each levels and basic classification. She has a stable crew 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.
While it’s a top-tier occasion, the 4 days of racing provide considerably of a gauge for Longo Borghini to check her type on the hills, in a time trial, and towards 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 not too long ago returned to racing on the Vuelta a Burgos after taking three months off to get better from a fractured sacrum.
She not too long ago competed on the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and seems to be on her option to rebuilding her type towards targets later in the summertime. The Tour de Suisse ought to present a great indication of the place her strengths are and what she wants to enhance on earlier than tackling occasions just like the Giro d’Italia Women and the Tour de France Femmes.
Muzic might be the extra possible 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 not too long ago expressed her disappointment over not being chosen by the French crew to compete on the Olympic Games, and so Muzic will undoubtedly wish to take advantage of the top-tier stage racing along with her commerce crew FDJ-SUEZ.
Juliette Labous earned a spot on the French crew for the Olympic Games and so her efficiency on the Tour de Suisse will possible be one of many first steps towards Paris.
She has had one in all her greatest seasons to date, with a fourth total at Vuelta España Femenina and third total at Itzulia Women. Like lots of her rivals, Labous took a protracted break after competing within the Ardennes Classics and Spanish stage races and is probably going recovered and able to start rebuilding her type.
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL will go all-in for Labous with a strong help crew 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 achieve time within the total classification on stage 2, whereas holding her personal towards the likes of Vollering and Longo Borghini throughout the difficult hills in Switzerland.
EF Education-Cannondale is having a profitable debut season, with the brand new Continental outfit turning heads in practically each race they enter. The crew has a number of riders to observe, together with one other residence favorite, Noemi Rüegg, American Kristen Faulkner and New Zealand’s Kim Cadzow.
Rüegg received the primary race of the season for the crew 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 highway race and second within the time trial on the USA Pro Road Championships. Faulkner additionally has ample expertise on the Tour de Suisse Women, having completed second total behind Lucinda Brand in 2022 after some 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 development. Apart from 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.