WHO WILL BE THE QUEEN OF THE CLASSICS?
The female riders out to shine brightest when racing returns
Since the first edition in 1896, Paris-roubaix has been one of the most anticipated races of any season, but despite the addition of junior and under-23 races, it has taken to the 118th edition for a women’s event to materialise.
World time trial champion in 2013, Trek-segafredo’s Ellen van Dijk has a host of Classics wins on her palmarès and, having looked at the course, knows what to expect on 25 October.
Challenging route
Organisers have not yet published the course, telling CW they hope to include as many cobbled sectors as possible, but ASO’S women’s races are historically shorter than the 160km Women’s Worldtour maximum.
“For me the longer the better, but when it’s longer maybe it’s not as exciting as people start holding back a little more, so 140k is long enough,” says van Dijk. “It’s not like anything we have experienced before, the cobbles aren’t the same and they go on and on.
“You come off a three-kilometre section then two kilometres later you have another one. It’s super tough and uncomfortable, but that’s what makes it so heroic and special.”
What no breakaway?
Women’s races sometimes lack the breakaway/catch/final formula of men’s races. Shorter distances and
six-woman teams mean breakaways are often given less room, struggling to establish themselves, the resulting constant aggression making for exciting viewing.
“It seems like everybody’s afraid of a break, and everybody keeps chasing, so I think it will be hard to get a breakaway going,” says van Dijk.
“Everybody will be so excited and keen to race it, but I think it will be more of an elimination race. You need to have engines that want to power over these sections in the beginning, so it will be interesting to see who is going to do that, and the tactics of the top riders.”
All the best riders
The all-rounder rules the roost in the women’s sport, with many top climbers adept in other aspects.
World champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-scott) and Anna van der Breggen (Boels-dolmans) have both won the Giro Rosa twice and are accomplished climbers, but both have won on the cobbles and neither can be discounted.
“Never underestimate these girls because they seem to be good at everything,” says van Dijk.
“Normally you would say light girls like them have a disadvantage, but you need a motor to get over the cobbles and I’m pretty sure they will be in the final.”