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Start for freeThe 2024 Tour de France Femmes is set to be an exciting edition, with eight challenging stages and a star-studded lineup of riders. Let's break down each stage and analyze the potential outcomes:
Stage 1: Flat Sprint in Rotterdam
The opening stage is a flat 122km route from Rotterdam to Rotterdam, perfect for the sprinters. Lorena Wiebes is the favorite to take the win and the first yellow jersey, with Charlotte Kool as her main rival.
Stage 2: Morning Sprint in Rotterdam
Another flat stage in Rotterdam, this time just 69km long. Expect another bunch sprint, likely between Wiebes and Kool again.
Stage 3: Individual Time Trial in Rotterdam
A short 6.3km individual time trial will create the first time gaps in the general classification. While not long enough to be decisive, it will give an early indication of form. Grace Brown and Chloe Dygert are top favorites for the stage win.
Stage 4: Hilly Stage to Liège
The first potentially significant GC day, featuring the Amstel Gold Race finale before heading into Belgium for a Liège-Bastogne-Liège style finish. This stage could see aggressive racing from teams looking to put pressure on SD Worx. A breakaway or late attack from a strong classics rider like Kristen Faulkner could succeed.
Stage 5: Punchy Finish in Belgium
A 152km stage with a series of short climbs in the finale, perfect for puncheurs. Marianne Vos will be a favorite if she can make it over the climbs, but this could also be a day for a breakaway to succeed.
Stage 6: Medium Mountain Stage
A 160km stage with multiple climbs throughout, including a steep finish. This stage is likely to see aggressive racing from GC contenders looking to put pressure on Demi Vollering and SD Worx. A breakaway has a good chance of staying away.
Stage 7: First Major Mountain Test
The first true mountain stage, finishing with a 12km climb at 5% average gradient. While not extremely steep, this is where we'll see the first real GC battle. Teams like Canyon//SRAM and Trek-Segafredo will need to try to isolate Vollering early if they want to gain time.
Stage 8: Queen Stage with Glandon and Alpe d'Huez
The queen stage features the massive Col du Glandon (19.7km at 7%) followed by the iconic Alpe d'Huez (13.8km at 8.1%). This is where Demi Vollering is expected to stamp her authority on the race, potentially winning by several minutes.
General Classification Predictions
- Demi Vollering (SD Worx)
- Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar)
- Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM)
Jersey Predictions
- Yellow Jersey: Demi Vollering
- Green Jersey: Marianne Vos
- Polka Dot Jersey: Demi Vollering
- White Jersey: Neve Bradbury
While Vollering is the clear favorite, the race should still provide plenty of excitement. The middle stages offer opportunities for aggressive racing and potential surprises. Teams will need to be creative in their tactics to challenge SD Worx's dominance.
The absence of Lotte Kopecky due to Olympic commitments opens up more opportunities for stage wins from other teams. This could actually benefit SD Worx by allowing them to focus more on protecting Vollering's GC position.
Keep an eye on riders like Juliette Labous, Kasia Niewiadoma, and Elisa Longo Borghini as potential podium contenders. Young talents like Neve Bradbury and Shirin van Anrooij could also make a big impact.
With a mix of sprint stages, hilly classics-style stages, and big mountain tests, the 2024 Tour de France Femmes promises to be an exciting and varied race. While Demi Vollering is the favorite, the unpredictable nature of cycling means anything can happen over eight stages of racing.
Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BE5qQXqzt4
