Once again the metal grate is rolling up in front of the VSP lotto window. It’s bettin’ time. The Route de France is an eight day women’s stage race consisting of a prologue and seven road stages. The route stays away from any serious mountains so daily victories could go to sprinters or those willing to drive a breakaway. To make it interesting, Marianne Vos is not racing. Last year’s winner was @eightzero’s favorite Evelyn Stevens (a serious Rule #27 violator), an all around power house, neither a pure sprinter or pure climber, a Phyllis Gilbert, if you will.
Women are fighting for better wages everywhere and cycling is no different. But at least they seem to be having more fun and racing their brains out too. I don’t believe they have podium boys, but they should. In this race they have their own singer (!?). Here is the start list. We at Velominati are interested in promoting women’s racing in our own half-assed way so we offer up this petition to promote a women’s Tour de France.
This race begins on Saturday so do your research and don’t Delgado. These women’s race points are worth just as much as the men’s points in the quest for overall VSP general classification victory.
[vsp_results id=”24617″/]
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@razmaspaz
I don't think the stages are pancake-flat, but it doesn't look like the have to climb mountains at any stage. However, it's hard to find course info. Even their official wesbite doesn't show stage elevations. If the promoter wants fans to take more than a casual interest in their race, they have to do better than this.
http://www.velonation.com provides good race reports soon after the finish. Stage 5 looked like a consolation win for Bronzini after she worked all day to help Villumsen gain 2s to take the lead off Johansson, but couldn't do it.
5 wins out of 5 stages, but still not leading the race must confuse the crap out of some people...
@razmaspaz
Here, here! The petition says, "...over the same distances, on the same days, with modifications in start/finish times..." How about a double ascent of Alpe d'Huez after 108 kms or am I being mean?
@erik
There's got to be a trivia question in there, right? Name the last pro cyclist who won 5 consecutive stages of a "grand tour". Fuck if I know.
@razmaspaz
@Bianchi Denti
You can check out a preview of the last stages here: http://velofocus.com/2013/preview-route-de-france-stage-4-to-7/
The description of the last stage encapsulates the organizers' thinking. I'd like to know the thoughts of the participants but I can't help but feel that at a time when women's cycling needs extra support to keep growing (or stop shrinking), this is a bit of weak tea.
So the plan is Bronzini again tomorrow and then everything's up for grabs on Saturday. Weak tea indeed.
Stage 6...Bronzini, Armitstead, Peters, I believe.
plus the other 43 in the bunch
@freddy Thanks for helping us keep on top of this. I'm excited to see tomorrows stage results...wish I could watch it!
@frank Oh, hi Frank. Nice to know I'm not the only one staying awake for the finale. Twitter feed seems to be the only way to track "live." I wonder if Bronzini is going to go for a solo break--she needs 31 seconds to take the GC.
Villumsen's in a solo break with about a 4 min lead. Looking god to win the overall.
VILLUMSEN Linda Melanie
JOHANSSON Emma 5:52.