The Spanish excursions proceed, and SD Worx-Protime has thus far dominated the highest step, however Vuelta a Burgos Féminas presents the opposite groups a final probability to show the tables earlier than the Ladies’s WorldTour leaves the nation for a two-race cease over in Nice Britain.
The four-day race from Could 16-19 follows on from La Vuelta Femenina, gained by Demi Vollering and Itzulia Ladies, the place the SD Worx Protime rider did it once more. The race will ship riders again into one other battle for stage victories and general honours, with the El Alto de Rozavientos 15km from the ultimate end line, leaving the alternatives for the GC riders open proper till the tip.
Vollering clinched the general lead and victory on the final stage final 12 months, with Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance coverage-Soudal) finishing the rostrum.
Confirmed begin lists aren’t in but however there is no such thing as a doubt that, whoever else is lining up, {that a} returning Vollering is the clear favorite to defend for SD Worx-Protime. The Dutchwoman seems to be arduous to beat now that she has hit her successful kind, however lots will attempt.
Cyclingnews runs the ruler over the potential contenders forward of Thursday’s four-stage Ladies’s WorldTour race.
Demi Vollering might have entered La Vuelta Femenina with none wins for the season although she definitely hit her stride on the Spanish Grand Tour. As soon as she stepped into pink on stage 5, the primary summit end of the race, victory simply saved getting trying increasingly inevitable given her assured efficiency at each essential level. What’s extra, Itzulia Ladies did not present any signal that she was fading, with the rider delivering a robust efficiency on the ultimate stage, which additionally secured her the general victory.
The SD Worx-Protime rider has the outcomes this 12 months on her aspect, being two for 2 within the Spanish excursions this month and final as nicely. Vollering claimed the general at Vuelta a Burgos final 12 months and two phases on the way in which, what’s extra it was a clear sweep of the phases for the group with Lorena Wiebes successful the opposite two.
Within the 2022 and 2021 editions, the Dutch rider got here third general, standing on the rostrum with Anna van der Breggen on her debut on the race in 2021. The group does not look any much less formidable this 12 months. In any case, Mischa Bredewold swept up the primary two phases at Itzulia Ladies earlier than Vollering completed it off on stage 3.
Final 12 months, 22-year-old Shirin van Anrooij stepped as much as the second spot on the rostrum behind Vollering, additionally claiming the youth jersey in consequence. It was her first time on the general podium of a Ladies’s WorldTour stage race, and this 12 months might supply her a possibility to seek out her approach again once more.
Following a break after the Ardennes Classics, the Lidl-Trek rider has used Navarra, the place she got here third, and Itzulia to construct towards Burgos. The rider, who additionally races cyclocross, might not have had the outcomes she hoped for within the April block of Ladies’s WorldTour racing, however standing on the rostrum with successful teammate Elisa Longo Borghini on the Tour of Flanders in March after a second at Dwars door Vlaanderen and high fives at each Strade Bianche and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad means it hasn’t precisely been a shabby begin to the season.
Vuelta a Burgos may very well be simply the place it shifts up one other gear.
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig has been sitting on the sidelines since Omloop Het Nieuwsblad after fracturing her sacrum in a crash however has confirmed by way of social media that she’s going to as soon as once more be on the beginning line at Vuelta a Burgos Feminas.
The 28-year-old first dipped her toe in with a help function at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria on Tuesday earlier than taking to the beginning in Villagonzalo Pedernales. After almost two months with out pinning a quantity on her kind, in fact, continues to be an unknown. Nonetheless, whereas she might not have had time to work to a peak she is a rider to not be discounted.
The FDJ-SUEZ rider was eleventh general final 12 months however fifth and sixth the earlier two editions, so hasn’t been that removed from the rostrum. Her group has made a mark in Spain with Évita Muzic claiming a stage and ending fifth general at La Vuelta Femenina.
Muzic has additionally proven high kind with fourth at Flèche Wallonne, eleventh general at Itzulia Ladies and second on the Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria. The Frenchwoman was second general at Vuelta a Burgos in 2022 and can undoubtedly use her expertise to assist the group earn one other general podium.
Silvia Persico can be coming into the Spanish stage racing fray at Vuelta a Burgos Féminas, having spent the early a part of this month at a few one-day races in France and discovering success on the Grand Prix du Morbihan Femmes.
The rider has completed within the high ten of the race prior to now two editions and will simply have the perfect versatile ability set to excel on the lumpy however not excessive climbing terrain. The group, too, might do with some Ladies’s WorldTour success, having not taken a top-tier victory but this season.
The Italian, who’s on the build-up to her residence Grand Tour, was on the rostrum of the ultimate stage of the race final 12 months. She might not be capable to problem the pure climbers like Vollering on a troublesome summit end, however the downhill run after the climb might result in a special end result.
Canyon-SRAM had seemed to be coming into the Spanish block of stage racing with probably the most formidable mixtures of riders, beginning with La Vuelta Femenina, however illness tore via the group, leaving some out and others battling via.
That has meant they had been on the again foot, fielding a group quick on numbers at each the Grand Tour and Itzulia, however maybe with some restoration time and a few more energizing legs – notably Elise Chabbey, who was firing when she joined that fray at Itzulia to say fifth general – Vuelta a Burgos might ship a a lot smoother path.
Final 12 months, the group was simply off the general podium in fourth with Chloe Dygert, who is not anticipated to line up this 12 months, although, after Itzulia, Chabbey is trying like a robust possibility, notably because it additionally follows a fourth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Then there’s Neve Bradbury, who did not make it to the beginning line of La Vuelta Femenina due to sickness. All early season indications, nonetheless, had been that the Australian rider was heading to a brand new stage this 12 months – with second general at UAE Tour Ladies amongst her sturdy early outcomes. Vuelta a Burgos may very well be an opportunity to renew the upward trajectory.
