Italian Rossella Ratto out sprinted compatriot Susanna Zorzi on Bedford’s Embankment to win the second stage of the Friends Life Women’s Tour, jumping into the lead of the race following her victory.
The Italian duo out foxed the sprinters into Bedford, holding off the Marianne Vos led bunch by six seconds to remain clear after Ratto had broken clear after 65-kilometres of racing.
Having instigated the move heading towards the second Strava Queen of the Mountains at Brixworth, Ratto was later joined by Zorzi, building a gap of two minutes approaching 20-kilometres to go.
With Lizzie Armitstead’s Boels Dolmans taking up the chase the deficit was halved, but Ratto and Zorzi remained clear, although only just with the peloton in sight behind the duo on the 400-metre long finishing straight.
Having outsprinted Zorzi, Estado de Mexico Faren rider Ratto said afterwards;
“I originally attacked to get the points for the Queen of the Mountains but I continued because I felt good – I am training for the time-trial at present – so I thought why not? I was on the point of giving up when Susanna came across to me from the peloton. Two is always better than one so we started to ride hard again. The gap started going up and we thought maybe we could do it.
“I was still afraid the peloton would get back to us in the final 4km but Suzanna, who is a good friend, helped me a lot and we were able to ride all the way to the finish it was a dream.”
Behind the Italians Vos led home compatriot Amy Pieters and Lucy Garner, followed by Giorgia Bronzini and Lizzie Armitstead.
“We almost caught Rossella but not quite,” said Armitstead afterwards. “From our point of view it was really our team’s responsibility to lead the chase, we didn’t have the yellow jersey to defend and possibly GreenEdge made a slight mistake.
“In terms of the GC we are still in the hunt if the stages are challenging enough but realistically we need some wins to make it more interesting. I’ve been going for all the intermediate sprints so far, I have been in stage races before when it comes down to second so if it does get close on Sunday I don’t want to look back on any lost opportunity.”
Armitstead moves up to fifth overall and pulls on the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Best British Rider jersey, while Ratto added the Matrix Fitness Best Young Rider jersey to her Bedfordshire haul.
In the Friends Life Overall Classification Ratto now leads Zorzi by five seconds, with Vos, who leads the YodelDirect Points Classification a further second in arrears. Day One winner Emma Johansson drops to fourth overall, having come home eleventh, with Hannah Barnes and Lucy Garner joining Armitstead as Brits in the top ten.
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s Sharon Laws retains the Strava Queen of the Mountains jersey after enjoying a competitive battle with Switzerland’s mountain bike champion Jolanda Neff, that saw the two competing for the points available at each of the day’s two Strava climbs.
Friday sees the Friends Life Women’s Tour head to Suffolk and Tendring, for Stage Three from Felixstowe to Clacton. Highlights of Stage Two are on ITV4 in the UK at 9pm this evening, with a repeat on Friday morning at 8am.
62nd Royal Smilde Olympia ‘s Tour starts on May 12
The opening day of the 62nd edition of the Dutch oldest bike race, Royal Smilde Olympia ‘s Tour is fast approaching. On May 12 in North Holland Hoofddorp the prologue will be held. After spanning several regions and over 850 miles the stage race will finish on May 17, also in Hoofddorp [five days later]. The final field and track can be found below.
Roadmaps of the 62nd Royal Smilde Olympia’s Tour:
May 12: Prologue | Hoofddorp (Ind. Trial ) 3.3 miles
May 13 : Stage 1 | Ulft – Gendringen 114.0 km
May 13 : Stage 2 | Gendringen ( TTT ) 14.7 km
May 14 : Stage 3 | Horn – Horn 170.9 km
May 15: Stage 4 | Zoetermeer – Rijswijk 152.4 km
May 16 : Stage 5 | Reuver – Reuver 208.6 km
May 17 : Stage 5 | Hoofddorp – Hoofddorp 186.4 km The participating teams are:
Rabobank Continental Team ( NED )
National Team Australia ( AUS )
Cycling Team De Rijke ( NED )
Cycling Team Jo Piels ( NED )
Metec – . TKH Continental Cycling Team ( NED )
Koga Cycling Team ( NED )
Dump Baby Cycling Team ( NED )
ParkHotel CT Valkenburg ( NED )
WV Young Rider ( NED )
National Team USA (USA )
National Team Azerbaijan ( AZE )
Riwal Cycling Team ( DEN )
3M Team ( BEL )
An Post – Chain Reaction ( IRL )
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KTM Team ( GBR )
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Jutland Sealand ( DEN )
The organisation of Royal Smilde Olympia’s Tour is proud that this year already the 62nd edition of the round takes place. “After the great winners of the past four years, Taylor Phinney, Jetse Globe and Dylan van Baarle, we are excited by the interest that this unique historic cycling event in the Netherlands is still getting,” said Foundation President Olympia’s – Tour Lex van Drooge. “This year the focus of the field is the young talent. Olympia ‘s Tour is for many a springboard to a professional career and professional young nature of the course remains a priority for the organization. Olympia ‘s Tour would continue to be. Now and in the future for youth.”
During Royal Smilde Olympia’s Tour you can follow the race via the website www.olympiastour.com and on twitter @OlympiaTour . News, short updates and discussion will be posted after each stage.
OLYMPIA ‘S HISTORY TOUR
The first edition of Olympia ‘s Tour took place in 1909, with the start and finish in Amsterdam, and it is the oldest stage race in the Netherlands. Since 1955 the race has been held every year, making it impossible to imagine the Dutch cycling calendar without it. The race is invaluable to enable flow from youth and national riders into international cycling.
Last year’s winner Dylan van Baarle of the Rabobank Continental Team, is now a pro in the U.S. World Tour team Garmin – Sharp. Of the last ten winners eight were professional cyclists: Dylan van Baarle, Jetse Globe, Taylor Phinney, Lars Boom, Tom Veelers, Stef Clement, Thomas Dekker and Joost Posthuma.
Round 1 of the Scottish Cycling National Women’s Road Race Series heads for Glasgow
This Saturday (10th May) over 40 female cyclists will take to the roads of Eaglesham near Glasgow this for the first round of the new Scottish Cycling National Women’s Road Race, sponsored by Dales Cycles.
The historic town of Eaglesham, just to the South of Glasgow, will play host to the first of four rounds of the series with a further three taking place in Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen.
With a combination of new faces to the experienced cyclists such as Delhi Commonwealth Games athlete Jane Barr (Starley Primal Pro Cycling), the first round of the series organised by Glasgow Green Cycling Club (GGCC) is set to be a thrilling days racing.
Riders will complete 8 laps of the 4.25 mile course which has been described as challenging and fast for the first time rider but has an equal amount of ascent and descent for the more experienced racer to tackle.
The series sponsor; Dales Cycles will be in attendance at all events to offer both pre and post-race mechanical support to all entrants. The winners of each event will receive a fabulous custom designed “blue jersey” from Endura.
Lynne Munro, Scottish Cycling’s Head of Development said: “I am delighted to see so many entries for the first round of the Scottish Cycling National Women’s Road Race Series. I have no doubt the Series will help us support and develop women’s cycling in Scotland.”
“Scottish Cycling currently underpins and co-ordinates the organisation of over 644 events a year and we are delighted to be able to include a Women’s Road Racing Series. Scottish Cycling would like to thank Dales Cycles for their support in helping provide more opportunities for women to ride their bikes in a safe, friendly and accessible environment.”
Online entry for round one of the Series in Glasgow is now closed however you can still enter on the day!Also entering could not be easier, just follow the link below, fill in your details and off you go. It’s fast, uncomplicated & with instant email confirmation, you could be looking forward to racing on the road. Thrashing the opposition or simply testing your mettle in your first real race.
Well a farmer from Israel has done just that. Gilad Wolf was looking for a way to make the ride and manoeuvrability better for his wheelchair and decided the part of the chair that had been overlooked and makes the use of wheelchairs so frustrating were the wheels.
The SoftWheel has a rim containing three shock absorbing cylinders. They suspend the wheel’s hub, evenly distributing the weight along the chair giving the user the ability to easily ascend and descend individual steps, also giving a smooth and fast ride over bumps and reducing injuries caused by wheelchair vibration.
When the concept became reality Gilad marketed the SoftWheel Acrobat for wheelchair users but this got him thinking about other applications and it naturally led to looking at the comfort and efficiency of the ride for cyclists. The SoftWheel Fluent was created. Both types of wheels will go on sale at the end of the year, they won’t be cheap (around $2,000) but they will make a huge difference to wheelchair users and to cyclists. It’s said to be compatible with all frames including electric bikes and it can be retrofitted.
It looks like cyclists won’t have the loss of energy that traditional mountain bike suspension gives and the impact will be dampened for a full 360 degrees. It should be ideal for country roads with the traditional UK potholes. Cyclist’s who require a gentler ride for medical reasons might also benefit; for example older riders with arthritis, muscle weakness or reoccurring vibration injuries. It certainly looks an interesting design, we will aim to review it once it’s released.
Marco Pantani Biopic to Launch in UK Cinemas on Friday May 16th
PANTANI: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist, the much-anticipated feature documentary of the cyclist Marco Pantani’s tragic life, is to launch in UK cinemas on Friday 16th May 2014.
The film’s premiere will be held in London on May 13th at Cineworld Haymarket, with special guests in attendance including ITV cycling presenter Ned Boulting, who will be hosting a live question and answer session with the film’s director and producer James Erskine. 200 limited tickets for the premiere are being made available to the public and have been released online at www.pantanifilm.com/premiere today, costing £25.
A special preview screening will also be held in Belfast at the Queen’s Film Theatre on May 8th, the eve of the Giro d’Italia, which this year sets off from the Northern Irish city with a route set to celebrate some of Pantani’s greatest victories in the race, ten years on from his tragic death at the age of 34.
Launching in over 20 cities across the UK, including London, Belfast, Edinburgh, Leeds and Birmingham, PANTANI will be in cinemas from the 16th May – information on showings can be found on the Pantani Film website, and will be regularly updated with new venues. The film will also be released on DVD and Blu-ray on May 26th, and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.
A New Black Films and Media Squared Films production in association with 4 Rights, the work charts the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of Marco Pantani, the cyclist affectionately known as ‘Il Pirata’ for his diminutive, pirate-like image. Born in 1970 to a humble family in Cesanatico in northern Italy, by the late 1990’s Pantani had become the most successful, flamboyant and popular cyclist of his era.
In 1998, Pantani won both the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia – a titanic feat of physical and mental endurance that no rider has repeated since. He was a hero to millions; at the time, the saviour of cycling following the doping scandals, which threatened to destroy the sport. However, less than six years later, he died alone, in a cheap Italian hotel room.
Marco Pantani wearing the yellow jersey after winning the Tour de France in Paris, 1998 – Credit: SVEN SIMON/DPA/Press Association Images
PANTANI: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist explores the startling truth behind one man’s remarkable descent from being amongst the finest athletes on earth to his tragic end in a sport riven by intrigue. Based on two years extensive research and inspired by Matt Rendell’s The Death of Marco Pantani, the film combines scintillating race archive with contemporary news footage, stylised reconstructions, and interviews with Pantani’s friends, family, colleagues, and rivals, including Sir Bradley Wiggins, Evgeni Berzin and Greg LeMond.
PANTANI was made by the successful British partnership behind previous sporting documentaries One Night in Turin and The Battle of the Sexes. Multi-talented writer and director James Erskine also took on production duties together with Victoria Gregory, whose credits include the BAFTA Award-winning Senna and Academy Award-winning Man on Wire.
CycloFemme aims for 500 rides, in 50 countries on May 11, 2014As the May 11, 2014 CycloFemme celebration of Women in Cycling nears, the bar has been set at 500 rides, in 50 countries, and all 50 US states. With last year’s 229 rides in 31 countries, CycloFemme continues to gain traction, celebrating the bicycle as a tool for empowering women and positive social change. BOULDER, CO, USA (March 19, 2013) — As registration gets under way for CycloFemme – May 11, 2014 Global Women’s Cycling Day, many riders are coming together to plan celebrations worldwide. With the third annual ride approaching, CycloFemme organisers are calling on the global community to plan rides with the goal of 500 rides in 50 countries, and all 50 US states. Among those standing behind CycloFemme is the US national cycling organization League of American Bicyclists.
“Cyclofemme is a unique catalyst and universal call to action for individual riders and organized efforts around women and cycling.” says Carolyn Szczepanski of the League of American Bicyclists. “This one day has already become an incredible unifying force for women around the world. The League couldn’t be more honored to promote and celebrate this event as a part of National Bike Month,” she said.
Unified primarily through social media and word of mouth, in 2013, the grassroots movement was celebrated from Kyoto, Japan to Alaska, USA and from Orebro, Sweden to Yida, South Sudan where two women learned to ride a bike in a MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) camp in preparation for the big day, held in May.
“There is great momentum in the women’s empowerment movement, we see the bicycle as a tool for realizing positive social change. We believe that strong communities are built by strong women. As Susan B. Anthony said, about the bicycle, ‘I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.’” said CycloFemme co-founder Sarai Snyder. “The bicycle provides access, connectivity, and mobility, essential tools for economic, community, and personal development. We see CycloFemme as an opportunity to celebrate these ideas and encourage more women to lead a healthy lifestyle.” With the statement “We Ride Together,” the goal of CycloFemme is to create a unified voice for women’s cycling by building a tribe of riders who recognize the need to empower one another and build a supportive community.
CycloFemme is celebrated annually on the US Mother’s Day, the spirit of the day continues to live on year round. Many cyclists still find opportunities to adorn themselves with the CycloFemme mark, in the form of a temporary tattoo, showing support for the global movement at local cycling events and rides.
Knowing that exponential change begins with the simple maths of 1+1, many have also made a personal commitment by signing the CycloFemme Pledge to “inspire one more woman to ride a bike.” Images of pledge signings can be found on cyclofemme.com/pledge along with pdf versions to print, sign and share. Currently available in English, Spanish, and Chinese with more languages being introduced weekly.
A creative initiative of Girl Bike Love + Language Dept., CycloFemme is global celebration to Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Empower the Future of Women in Cycling. The mission states “Teach women to ride, and they will change the world.”
For more information download the CycloFemme PDF below: [wpdm_file id=1]
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