Finally, some cold nasty Belgian one day racing. Oman, Qatar, does anyone brag about winning those stage races? Yes, they might but really, it’s a tune up for the real season which finally begins this Saturday. Will racing in China or Oman grow the sport? Will there be a new wave of inspired young racers from these countries. Does professional racing require geographic or historical context? Yes, I believe it does. There are many historically significant European races that have ceased to be while in October the professional peloton flies to China to race in the smog. What is the point? The money spent getting everything to China would be better spent supporting the smaller historic races and making sure they include women’s categories.
This Saturday’s forecast calls for zero percent chance of precicitation and near freezing temperatures. I wouldn’t want to ride in those conditions but I do like to see professionals race in them. And if it’s a little wet too, excellent. They can all test out their embrocation layering and neoprene gloves. Early season Belgian races should be cold and wet. It’s the Belgian brand.
The women’s provisional start list is here. The names of many teams have changed, a few big hitters are gone but it is just as large as the men’s field, 248 riders! Granted, many will get shelled on the first cobbled berg but that’s all in the game. If you want to call yourself a professional, you have to survive cold (and wet) races like this.
Let the betting begin. Velominati is an equal opportunity betting parlor. For points awarded, the women’s races hold as much value as the men’s.
[vsp_results id=”22127″/]
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I'd love to list some of the Scottish riders in the Breast Cancer Care Team as they kick my butt on the track in Glasgow (along with many others) but this first race of their maiden season will be little more bumpy under wheel than they are used to. Baptism of Fire.
VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Borghini
3. Johannson
4. Gilmore
5. Worrack
VSP PICKS:
1. armistead
2. johannson
3. borghini
4. gunnewijk
5. gilmore
More cycling can only be a good thing, more televised cycling even better. And the women's races are every bit as exciting as the men's, if not more so if the Olympic Road Race was anything to go by.
VSP PICKS:
1. Elizabeth Armitstead
2. Marijn De Vries
3. Loes Gunnewijk
4. Lucinda Brand
5. Ian Teutenberg
VSP PICKS:
1. Olds
2. Johansson
3. Stevens
4. Armistead
5. De Vries
VSP PICKS:
1. Loes Gunnewijk
2. Armistead
3. Johansson
4. Worrak
5. De Vries
@Deakus
She's already picked up one rainbow jersey this week (team pursuit, sort of expected from GBR...). Saw that she was in for Scratch and Points as well (sensible events if you're going to switching over to road)
VSP PICKS:
1. Gunnewijk
2. Armistead
3. Borghini
4. Johansson
5. Vries
Roll o' dice
VSP PICKS:
1. Elizabeth Armitstead
2. Katie Colclough
3. Elena Kuchinskaya
4. Marijn De Vries
5. Ana Bianca Schnitzmeier
Ok so I really, really don't have a clue...
VSP PICKS:
1. Lizzie Armitstead
2. Katie Colclough
3. Lucy Garner
4. Jo Rowsell
5. Loes Gunnewijk
VSP PICKS:
1. Elizabeth Armitstead
2. Charlotte Becker
3. Elisa Longo Borghini
4. Eleonora Van Dijk
5. Lucy Garner