BOELS RENTAL LADIES TOUR
The six-day stage race has been on the calendar since 1998, and traditionally attracted sprinters, while climbers went to the hilly Tour de l’Ardèche at the same time.
But for the last few years, while it’s mainly been the typical flat courses, the final stage has been all over the Valkenburg hills, with a finish on the Cauberg. That’s brought in Classics and Worlds riders. Changing the traditional individual time trial stage to a TTT means we should see the big Worlds teams here, and there’s general consensus among fans that yes, this race is worthy of being in the WorldTour. While four flat stages and a TTT before the climbing stage could make it seem like GC contenders only need to show up on the last day, the reality is very different. It’s Dutch-style racing, with at least one day where the key breaks forms in the first 20km, and once they’ve put enough time into the peloton, they become endless attacking, putting minutes into anyone who missed it.
To win the GC here, the riders have to be completely focused, and while it definitely adds more opportunities for sprinters to gain some WorldTour glory, it’s a fight all the way through.