Dave

I’m hoping for some Cedrine fireworks at MSR - was a bit disappointed not to see one of her nuclear descents down the Poggio last year.

My usual mixture of excitement and nervousness about my favourites. But particularly looking forward to the Kim / Leti combination in the classics (esp Paris Roubaix) for AG Insurance. And Sarah G on Mont Ventoux!

Oh do stop it. It’s a bit of fun for those of us who love lists and who still compile our own charts (at 62). It’s not AI trying to brainwash us. My top 5 songs of the year includes both death metal and Nina Nesbitt, so nobody is genre pigeonholing me.

I still fondly remember Streetwise (ITV show from 1989, I think with Andy Serkis and Suzanna Hamilton among others)

Feels like 500 anyway

500?

My two favourite riders on the shortlist! I feel my fanboy status for Kim and Sarah is justified.

A real shame. Luckily today was probably the least important for the GC.

Best of luck to the AG Insurance team competing in the Simac Ladies Tour which kicks off today with a circuit race in Leuven. It's all about sprints for Shari Bossuyt and maybe some people going off in breaks (hi Nicole!) Hard to see anyone stopping Wiebes winning basically every stage TBH.

It’s pronounced ‘Bossett’ I think (based on the Sporza comms for the race where Wiebes beat her into 3rd the other day)

I’ll select Wiebes. I should win given that hardly anyone else appears to be riding

The Simac Ladies Tour starts in less than 48 hours, at 13:00 CET on Tuesday, and we have absolutely no clue who is riding for most of the teams. I'm not even sure Lorena has officially been declared a starter, although obviously she will be. Surely the teams know who they are sending?

Sarah’s retirement feels like the end of an era. Just Spratty and Alex left from that 2016-17 Orica team that were my first passion in the sport.

Being a cycling fan certainly keeps your feet on the ground. After spending the week getting excited about Kim Le Court’s return at Plouay, the first thing we see on the live coverage is Kim pulling out. Some bug or other, I gather. Lead group finishes for Justine & Ashleigh, great effort from Alex

Deepest sympathy Lukas.

Good luck, hope someone bites. Given the abysmal failure of almost all the women’s teams to recognise Kim Le Court’s potential from a similar communication, you’d hope the teams have reviewed what they did wrong there & won’t make the same mistake again. And Magnus has actual road form too!

So the day after I discover that Puck isn’t riding in the WC, I discover that PFP has changed her mind and she is going to ride. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away I guess. But if Kim does win I want her to beat the strongest possible field, so bring it on Pauline I say! (But also damn it!)

It’s Schroedinger’s race again as we try and figure out what happened from the results sheet. Was Helena Jones a DNF because she was caught up in the same crash that Felicity might have been in, if there actually was a crash? AG Insurance’s Belgian contingent biding their time in the bunch.

I'm sure fellow Kim Le Court fans out there are going to spend the next 33 days getting just as excited as I seem to be already! Not that I'm counting or anything.

Unclear whether Kopecky will be there to defend her title - I guess her planned ride in Ardeche and how she feels on the climbs there after her recent back problem will be a massive factor in her decision. Good form on the track this last weekend though, winning the Prague omnium from Shari Bossuyt

Bloody hell, Puck Pieterse is not going to ride in the WC in Kigali - she's focusing on the MTB Worlds. Riejanne Markus is her replacement. Big blow to the Dutch - I saw Puck and Demi in the final group able to play off each other. Now unless AvdB has a big day, Demi could be on her own at the end

It's as you were among the leaders in the Tour de l'Avenir Femmes after yesterday's stage ended in a 50 rider bunch finish. From the look of the parcours, probably much the same today. The race will be decided on Friday when we have a short mountain stage followed by an evil ITT (69 m/km elevation)

Really pleased to see Alex Manly named in the Australia team for the Kigali World Championships. Many congrats Alex!

No change in the top 19 on GC as the first stage ended in a 50 rider bunch sprint. No bonuses for stage finishes though? Wolf cubs all safe in the lead group.

Discovery Plus are showing the men's race but not the women's race, of course

This is a seriously interesting race. Anyone know if there is any livestream or video available for it? Much more interesting than three weeks of blokes meandering around Spain or Italy or wherever they are.

Nice start for the Wolf Cubs in Avenir Femmes, with Lore in 6th and Emma 12th after the opening ITT. Some serious talent in this race - including GC leader Isabella Holmgren who is 20 and who finished 7th on GC at the Giro! I wasn't watching much at that point because I'm an idiot.

True, but then they don't have another Grand Tour there

I don't pay that much attention to the men at present, but why is La Vuelta in Italy? Don't they already have a grand tour?

Good luck to Wolf Cubs Lore de Schepper, Tess Moerman and Emma Siegers (for Belgium) and Helena Jones (for the US) in the Tour de l'Avenir Femmes which starts today with a 3 km prologue (up an 8% slope in Tignes). Lore's highlight this year was an amazing 20th in LBL - what a fantastic day that was!