The ever-expanding Women’s cycling calendar sees that similar pattern continue with the newly renamed and now seven day long La Vuelta Femenina, set to take place soon, beginning on the first of May.
Fighting it out over those seven stages the peloton will kick things off with a team time trial, a unique event on the Women’s calendar, followed by some stages for the sprinters, whereas the latter part of the week is more loaded towards the puncheurs and climbers. The race is concluded with what is the hardest stage of the lot and a summit finish atop the famous Lagos de Covadonga with its multiple double digit gradient sections.
Taking four high-quality victories so far this season and featuring at the front of almost every race they took to the start in, Team DSM are once again aiming to be towards the proverbial pointy end of proceedings as they hunt for stage success while also aiming for a good result in the overall classification with GC finisher Juliette Labous.
Team DSM coach Albert Timmer expressed: “”La Vuelta Femenina marks the first big stage race of the year for our Women’s program after a successful first part of the season. The race has an interesting parcours with really different stages. Our goal will be to focus on the general classification with Juliette, who had some great performances last year. In the sprints, Charlotte will be our finisher and we hope to bring her into the sprints fresh and as well-positioned as possible. We have a strong team and we are confident that we can bring home some great results.”
Line-up:
Francesca Barale
Léa Curinier
Charlotte Kool
Juliette Labous
Esmée Peperkamp
Maeve Plouffe
Elise Uijen
