It’s time for the primary Grand Tour of the season and a take a look at simply who inside the girls’s peloton might step into the purple jersey of the general race chief at La Vuelta Femenina.
The Spanish race, which has been upping the ante in current seasons – reworking from a one-day race right into a tour throughout eight levels – has misplaced its three-time champion Annemiek van Vleuten. The retirement of the rider who had beforehand dominated means a brand new group of potential victors might be clamouring to make a mark, notably these pressured to face on the decrease steps proper by way of the interval the place the race has included terrain that leans towards climbing energy.
Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime), as Tour de France Femmes victor and the rider who additionally got here near unseating Van Vleuten in Spain in 2023, is the obvious alternative as race favorite however given she hasn’t had the identical kind on the run on this season will give her rivals a motive for hope.
In fact, these rivals will embody a few sturdy choices from Lidl-Trek to hold on with the season’s development. The 2022 runner-up Elisa Longo Borghini is firing, having claimed three wins already this season, together with the Tour of Flanders, and has visited the rostrum seven occasions. The Italian champion might even have Gaia Realini by her facet, delivering the group energy card that Lidl-Trek appears to play so properly. Canyon-SRAM, too look set to line up with a formidable mixture of riders, which might properly assist an in-form Kasia Niewiadoma change into more and more accustomed to the style of victory.
There are many different riders amongst those that are anticipated to line up – though confirmed begin lists are but to be launched – who might additionally problem for total victory on the April 28 to Might 5 occasion.
Cyclingnews takes a more in-depth take a look at a number of the riders to observe because the battle for purple unfolds from the group trial by way of the Pyrenees to a showdown within the Sierras of Madrid.
Demi Vollering could not have gone into final yr’s La Vuelta Femenina with a GC mindset, however she quickly acquired one after entering into the purple jersey after the primary summit end on stage 4. After shedding the lead place on stage 6, partly because of an ill-timed nature break and crosswinds, revenge was on her thoughts. She took it within the type of victory on the ultimate stage at Lagos de Covadonga, however whereas that effort could have meant the SD Worx clawed again a good portion of the hole within the closing stage, she nonetheless fell 9 seconds in need of the final word prize, the purple jersey. This version, nevertheless, is the prospect to alter that.
So as to add to that sense of unfinished enterprise is an early season, which has been peppered with podiums, however maybe not the step on them she hoped for. Vollering got here into La Vuelta Femenina on a tearing run final yr, having already swept up 5 victories for the yr, together with Strade Bianche and the entire Ardennes Classics. This yr she is but to assert a victory, though that can seemingly change within the coming days.
The toughening of the route ought to play into Vollering’s palms, with the addition of a 3rd summit end sure to be a boon for the rider who gained each in final yr’s version. Plus, regardless that her fundamental rival could also be out of the image, there might be loads of obstacles alongside the best way to the stage 8 end line on the prime of the Valdesquí, with a variety of outdated rivals and rising skills lining up and an enormous goal on Vollering’s again because the rider to beat.
Elisa Longo Borghini and Gaia Realini (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Lidl-Trek are as soon as once more lining up with an enviable mixture of expertise, new expertise and a track-record as a group that is aware of find out how to pull collectively to win races. The Ardennes could not have gone precisely to plan, however as they transfer from the icy chilly situations to the extra temperate climes of Spain, they’ve a group that has each probability of slotting proper again into profitable methods.
After a troublesome 2023, a rejuvenated Elisa Longo Borghini is main the group’s victory cost up to now in 2024, and La Vuelta Femenina gives the prospect to reignite the embers.
The Italian champion has stood on the general podium of each the Giro d’Italia Girls and La Vuelta Femenina, with second in each 2020 and 2022 in Spain. This yr might be her probability to lastly make it to that prime step, particularly given the consistency she has proven up to now this season, the place she has not often deviated from the highest few spots on the outcomes sheet.
What’s extra, Longo Borghini is predicted to be lining up in a squad that additionally contains the 22-year-old Gaia Realini. On her debut on the Vuelta final yr stood on the third step of the rostrum alongside Vollering and Van Vleuten after climbing up the ranks by delivering a formidable effort on the ultimate stage, taking second as the one rider who was even near having the ability to preserve tempo with Vollering.
The 2-pronged assault from two former podium placers could also be simply what the group must make it to that prime step.
Final yr’s version of the Vuelta was the race the place Ricarda Bauernfeind gave discover of simply what she was able to, coming fifth total simply months into her first season within the Canyon-SRAM WorldTour group after having made the bounce from the event squad. The German rider then shortly consolidated her place as a rider to observe by taking victory on stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes and ending ninth total. What’s extra, she has proven outstanding consistency in stage races, additionally discovering the highest ten final yr on the Tour de Romandie Féminin and Tour of Scandinavia.
The 24-year-old alone is worthy of be aware as a rider who might be in with a podium probability in Spain, however this yr she can even be joined by Kasia Niewiadoma at La Vuelta Femenina, delivering a formidable pairing for the race to spearhead the Canyon-SRAM cost.
Niewiadoma is on prime, clearly in kind and recent from that a lot wanted win at La Flèche Wallonne Femmes. That offered the very best of lead in indications for a rider that, even when issues aren’t operating so easily, would not appear to know find out how to ship a nasty GC end result throughout the highest Spanish, French and Italian excursions. The rider from Poland has two podiums on the Tour de France Femmes, a second on the Giro d’Italia Girls and 11 outcomes inside the prime seven total throughout her 12 participations on the three occasions. Niewiadoma would not have a podium on the Vuelta on her palmarès but however with a robust squad behind her – which additionally contains Neve Bradbury as a climbing asset – no step appears out of attain for her at this yr’s eight-stage race.
Mavi Garcia (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Mavi García has been within the prime ten of this race and the Tour de France Femmes and likewise discovered her approach onto the rostrum of Giro d’Italia Girls in 2022. There are additionally a variety of causes to assume that the Spanish rider might degree up at this version of the race.
For a begin, the toughening parcours imply there are extra days suited to the 40-year-old who this yr made the shift to Liv-AlUla-Jayco with hopes of a resurgence. The UAE Tour was an excellent signal, with the rider coming third total.
Add to that, the rider stated she has “been feeling higher than I did final yr and, at this stage, I feel I can do properly on this race.” Which means a podium goal would not appear unreasonable, notably given the primary stage ought to assist her alongside the best way.
Final yr, the Australian-based squad maybe did not carry out in addition to they’d have hoped within the group time trial, with certainly one of their anticipated powerhouses, Georgie Howe, crashing early, however in eighth they have been nonetheless two locations forward of García’s outdated Liv Racing TeqFind group and can hope for extra at this yr’s flat and quick time trial.
To begin the Vuelta with a bonus might go a great distance to assist the Garcia proceed into the mountains on the entrance foot.
Within the final three years, Juliette Labous has been within the prime ten in each version of La Vuelta Femenina, Giro d’Italia Girls and Tour de France Femmes she has accomplished.
Final yr, she additionally lastly broke by way of to the rostrum in Italy, taking second behind a dominant Annemiek van Vleuten. With that step as much as a brand new degree on the Giro, she’ll now be aiming to do the identical on the Vuelta, the place she completed seventh final yr.
“I’ve carried out a three-week altitude simulation camp during the last month, and I felt actually good in coaching and lately within the races,” stated Labous. “We’ve labored quite a bit to enhance my GC skills, so I wish to goal for a podium, and we are going to do the whole lot we will to attain that objective.”
It will not be the one ambition for the group, with Charlotte Kool on board for the sprints; nevertheless, 19-year-old Nienke Vinke, who completed second on the Tour Down Underneath in January, might show a useful ally on the climbs as she debuts on the race.
Riejanne Markus (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
It is exhausting to not fade into the background at a squad that features Marianne Vos, however Riejanne Markus is a kind of riders who can sway the highlight now and again.
The 29-year-old Dutch climber was truly only one spot off the rostrum on the 2023 version of La Vuelta Femenina, knocked off the steps on the final stage by the spectacular efforts on the ultimate climb of Gaia Realini.
Markus is a rider who, like García, might be hoping to start out with a bonus given her group took the highest spot on the opening group time trial final yr.
The addition of one other climbing stage, nevertheless, could make it slightly more durable to chase the rostrum once more provided that whereas she could have fared moderately on the summit finishes up to now, ending seventh on each final yr’s mountain prime finales, however they nonetheless present a chance for the pure climbers to leapfrog the Dutch rider.
AG Insurance coverage-Soudal is heading into the Vuelta with an thrilling mixture of expertise and rising expertise this yr – Ashleigh Moolman Pasio has the confirmed Grand Tour report, whereas Sarah Gigante has the promise.
The 23-year-old Australian began the brand new season along with her new group in ideally suited vogue, claiming the highest step of the general podium on the Tour Down Underneath with a spectacular victory on Willunga Hill.
Now it is lastly time to be taught the ropes of the longer stage races, with a long-awaited debut on the Spanish race after years the place damage, well being and circumstance have curtailed her European racing.
Studying along side a rider who has taken second within the girls’s Giro d’Italia twice and likewise final yr delivered sixth on the Tour de France Femmes in 2023 might present not solely a useful stepping stone for Gigante but additionally a useful ally for the seasoned South African.
Honorable mentions
Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) got here sixth in Spain final yr and with a powerful lead in, which included a fourth at La Flèche Wallonne, she appears to be like to have each probability of delivering a robust exhibiting once more in 2024.
With defending champion Van Vleuten out, Liane Lippert – who got here fourth on the race in 2022 – is an apparent alternative contender for Movistar however her kind is a large unknown given she is simply getting back from damage to start out the season. Additionally look out for teammate Olivia Baril who has a mounting listing of stage race prime ten finishes.
Ane Santesteban moved to Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi at the beginning of this season to assist construct the Spanish squad and it is exhausting to transcend success on the residence tour to get momentum rolling. The climber who completed sixth on the race in 2022 can have each incentive to go all out.
