TDF Femmes
#26
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Regarding the relative inexperience with bike handling...
Many women who come up through cyclocross, MTB, etc. have tremendous bike handling skills, in the same way we see that experience reflect in the men's peloton. However, those that come primarily through road racing have challenges and fewer opportunities to build skills relative to the men.
1) the women's field is far more likely to have cross-over athletes who teleport in and compete at the top level. Their cycling apprenticeship is brief.
2) Even those that spend some time cutting their teeth in the trenches of lower level cycling are likely to see smaller fields and fewer attacks over the course of a typical race.
Many women who come up through cyclocross, MTB, etc. have tremendous bike handling skills, in the same way we see that experience reflect in the men's peloton. However, those that come primarily through road racing have challenges and fewer opportunities to build skills relative to the men.
1) the women's field is far more likely to have cross-over athletes who teleport in and compete at the top level. Their cycling apprenticeship is brief.
2) Even those that spend some time cutting their teeth in the trenches of lower level cycling are likely to see smaller fields and fewer attacks over the course of a typical race.
#27
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Good racing so far. Will they hold a 2024 version considering the Olympics is in France next year at the same time or will all the elite riders choose to ride in the Olympics instead?
This is their 3rd and final grand tour of the year and several other stage races. They should have this down somewhat.There probably also isn't the depth in talent that the men have due to most of these women don't make a living full time off cycling but have to hold other jobs to make ends meet.
EDIT: Do these teams not have race radio? Last two days seem they were lost on their place on the course and didn't realize a breakaway rider was ahead.
I noticed that the women seem to need more practice and coaching on paceline dynamics. I do like watching.
This is their 3rd and final grand tour of the year and several other stage races. They should have this down somewhat.There probably also isn't the depth in talent that the men have due to most of these women don't make a living full time off cycling but have to hold other jobs to make ends meet.
EDIT: Do these teams not have race radio? Last two days seem they were lost on their place on the course and didn't realize a breakaway rider was ahead.
Last edited by gpsblake; 07-27-23 at 12:49 PM.
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#28
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#29
Junior Member
What's up with the SD Works jersey that Demi Vollering was wearing before she put on yellow? It looks almost like Magilia Ciclamino, but that's a different race. It's not the same color scheme of the other SD works jerseys and I can't seem to find out what it is for.
#32
Senior Member
It's hard to tell if you are being serious or not. If women had the same punching power and explosiveness as men, would there be any need to have separate competition leagues? As for bike handling ... as my old driving instructor used to say "its men that think women can't drive. Insurance companies know differently. I insure all our cars in my wife's name ..."
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#33
Senior Member
So ... should women's racing not happen? The answer might be yes. I don't know. But I'm just saying. The men didn't get where they are now overnight. If someone high enough up 100 years ago had said "mon Dieu! C'est horrible!" and banned men's competitive racing altogether, where would we be today? I am not a 4hr/dy spectator. In fact I rarely watch competitive sports because me and mine prefer to be in the gym or on our bikes but I have seen male cyclists in some spectacular pileups. Frequent spectacular pile-ups. Are you really saying the women are worse? How much worse?
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#35
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#36
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#37
Junior Member
Great Racing
Awesome womens TDF. Great bike handling skills. Every stage was epic to watch. Three breakaways in successive days stay away just barely. But what do I know I’ve only been following womens cycling since I used to race against Inga Thompson.
#38
Junior Member
I watched all the footage of every stage that they aired and yes, they need improvement. But as many of you said, it will get better in time. One thing that can be controlled is the time and difficulty of the stages. Shorten them up a bit and maybe make it so the the climbs are not so tough so they can keep the speed up a little, it was agonizing slow on some of the climbs. Make them fast and it will bring more attention and more viewers. Also, the coverage and the announcers were not very good, at all. This all could have been done so much better, but it really looked like they just "threw" it together for the sake of letting the women race. I think they deserved much more than what they were given. Having said that, I still enjoyed all of it, it's still bike racing and those are some tough girls.
Last edited by Breadfan; 08-01-23 at 10:49 AM.
#39
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Here's an opinion... 5 reasons why the TdF Femmes was the worst race to watch https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/...qTQsPIqF71pALg
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#40
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Here's an opinion... 5 reasons why the TdF Femmes was the worst race to watch https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/...qTQsPIqF71pALg
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#43
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#44
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I enjoyed it. Hopefully, going forward, someone will emerge that can challenge Vollering in the GC as that aspect of the race could be pretty boring for the next few years otherwise.
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And while I agree that at the moment, Vollering is on another level from all the other GC riders, not everybody who seems destined to dominate actually does. (case in point: Todej Pogacar)
#46
Senior Member
In that respect, I'm glad that AVV had the opportunity to win last year. She would have dominated for years had the TdFFaZ started up earlier. This way, we saw the passing of the baton from one dominant rider to the next.
And while I agree that at the moment, Vollering is on another level from all the other GC riders, not everybody who seems destined to dominate actually does. (case in point: Todej Pogacar)
And while I agree that at the moment, Vollering is on another level from all the other GC riders, not everybody who seems destined to dominate actually does. (case in point: Todej Pogacar)