A LEADOUT

After a longer than expected hiatus, your exclusive velogames preview is back! Nothing better than the most anticipated race of the year to get the machine rolling again.

If you wish to have a proper preview of the riders and their team and the route for the race, you can check out the exclusive content I wrote for high-cycling.com.

Velogame femmes 2022

A look at last year edition’s showed Marianne Vos at 14 to be the highest earner of the competition. Meanwhile at 26 coins, Annemiek Van Vleuten was not the best choice. There were no real 4 coins riders worthy neither, Using Paddy theorem ©, one credit was targeted to bring 58.26 points.

The Velogames Femmes 2023 route

8 stages:

• 1 super mountain top finish ( stage 7)
• 1 individual time trial (stage 8)
• 1 flat stage ( stage 3 and 6)
• 3 stages with some late punch ( stage 1, 2 and 4)
• 2 stage which could go for breakaways, or a bunch sprint (stage3 and 5)

• Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) 26: The super favourite might not be the best choice with only one mountain top finish and a time trial for a price tag of 26 credits. It might be wiser to spread the coins.
• Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar Team) 22: She might still win the whole thing but just like Demi Vollering, she might not bring just about enough points. Yet, she might be a better option than Demi Vollering’s 26.
• Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx) 20: Hard to ignore her despite her massive price. With one nailed on sprints (stage 6) and just 2 other stages that she might contend ( stage 3 and 5), she suddenly looks over-priced.
• Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl – Trek) 16: At 16, the Italian is the deal I would not miss out on. Worst case, she might not finish on the podium but her style of racing could ensure that she is in the top 10 stage finish on at least 5 out of the 8 days.
• Ashleigh Moolman (AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step) 14: The next best thing to the top 2 riders. At 14, she might be worth it for a top 5 final finish and she could be the last one to hold on to big 2 on Tourmalet.
• Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 14: Another aggressive rider who might not win but is sure to bring enough points for 14 coins.
• Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ – SUEZ) 14: She might look over-priced but she is not. There are 2 punchy stages that suits very well. Yet, she might not be the best 14 credits option.
• Charlotte Kool (Team DSM) 14: Why spend 14 coins on Wiebes when you can have Charlotte Kool at much cheaper? well , Wiebes might survive climbs better but it might also prove to be too hard for her as well. Kool will challenge Wiebes on stage 6 while she could be dropped on stage 3 and 5. If she makes it, she sure will be worth her 14 credits price tag. The only issue is that she left the Baloise Tour early last week due to illness after showing excellent form.
• Juliette Labous (Team DSM) 14: The form shown on the Giro proves that she will be fighting everyday and will have 3-4 top 10 stage finishes and a potential top 5 final GC finish.
• Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) 14: Lesson number 1 on Velogames: Never ever leave out Marianne Vos. But yeah, she did not look at her best in the Giro and Lorena Wiebes looks more likely to survive inclined terrain than her and is no match should it come to a sprint.
• Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx) 14: She will be there on the days that Wiebes will be dropped ( stage 1 ) and a potentially stage 3 and 5
• Marlen Reusser (Team SD Worx) 14: The favourite for the final ITT. I would not put it past her to also have a good shot at GC and a couple of other top 5 stage finishes
• Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 12: A potential candidate for the Maillot a Pois.
• Marta Cavalli (FDJ – SUEZ) 12: If you are not taking the big 2 and likes to spread the money, she is absolutely worth the risk for just 12 credits. she seemed to be close to her best at the Giro Donne before crashing again.
• Elisa Balsamo (Lidl – Trek) 12: Her form is unknown as she might be a Lidl more inclined to work for Longo-Borghini, She will still have her chance to sprint for a stage wins of she is still holding up.
• Mavi García (Liv Racing TeqFind) 12: Decent form shown in the Giro, but the terrain might be too explosive for her on most days. She can be counted on to finish in the top 10 though.
• Liane Lippert (Movistar Team) 12: She might have enjoyed the terrain was she not working for AVV
• Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) 12: 2 punchy finishes that she will have eyes on. She might suffer on the longer Tourmalet to put her out of a potential final top 10 GC finish.
• Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 10: An interesting young climber to consider although it seems that she will aiding Niewiadoma
• Veronica Ewers (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) 10: She is a one day race rider who has really impressed by finishing fourth in the Giro Donne. She could be the surprise inclusion in the final top 10. Was the 13th best score last year at just 8 coins.
• Évita Muzic (FDJ – SUEZ) 10: Although she shares leadership with Cavalli and Cecilie, Evita Muzic is expected to be doing better than her 17th place at the Giro. This is her home tour and will have lots of support along the road.
• Amanda Spratt (Lidl – Trek) 10: Will be send out on early attack by her team and support Longo-Borghini
• Emma Norsgaard (Movistar Team) 10: She will be around for the sprint stages finish but she has not shown the type of form that would make her a real challenger to Wiebes and Kool.
• Alexandra Manly (Team Jayco AlUla) 10: After a very exciting 2022 where she constantly battled it out with the elites, she has been very disappointing but could still feature on stage 1,3 and 4.
• Riejanne Markus (Team Jumbo-Visma) 10: If you have been following the women’s season, you might also feel that Riejanne Markus is Velogame femmes deal not to miss out on. The Dutch rider has shown resilience to keep up on climbs with the elites. Also, she is the one of the best time-trialist and stage 8 may play to her advantage in securing a top 5 final GC and even a podium!
• Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ) 10: Her stage win on the last day of the Giro shows that she is back on track with respect to her form. Her chances of beating Wiebes or Kool on a sprint is very limited but not that impossible.
• Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step) 8: She took an impressive overall win in Valenciana after going on a wild run with Elise Uijen. Since then, her performance has been relatively consistent. But there are better 8 points options.
• Lotta Henttala (AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step) 8: She springed to the front at Valenciana when she challenged Elisa Balsamo on the opening 2 stages. One month later, she suffered some physical issues and has since failed to contest sprints at the highest level.
• Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 8: She has shown glimpses of her past glory in the past year but it will most likely be all for Niewiadoma on this Tour.
• Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 8: Sarah Roy is most likely to be the designated sprinter for the team.
• Arianna Fidanza (CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling) 8: one of the sprinter of team who are most likely to alternate or even sprint with 2 or 3 riders
• Marta Lach (CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling) 8: A fast finisher who can usually go past climbs fairly well.
• Clara Koppenburg (Cofidis Women Team) 8: In the absence of newly French champion Victoire Berteau, she will be carrying all the responsibilites of her team.
• Alison Jackson (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) 8: The Paris Roubaix 2023 laureate will be trying to repeat something of the same.
• Georgia Williams (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) 8: After a groundbreaking start to the season in the Tour Down Under, she slowly faded out. Recently the team seemed to be favouring Letizia Borghesi for sprints.
• Loes Adegeest (FDJ – SUEZ) 8: A very good climber herself, the role of the Dutch will be interesting as with a team with multiple options. It is most likely she will protecting Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Marta Cavalli and even Evita Muzic.
• Grace Brown (FDJ – SUEZ) 8: If she gets some gaps in the finale of any stage, she will be hard to catch. Otherwise she will be working hard for her leaders.
• Julie De Wilde (Fenix-Deceuninck) 8: She was having an impressive classic season until she suffered a serious crash in De Panne. She did come back to a stunning form and is one rider to watch.
• Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Human Powered Health) 8: After months of bad luck, the super rider is at the start of the Tour de France. She will use her free role to aim for a stage win. Her form recently has not been as good as it was last year before her illness or even at the start of this season.
• Tamara Dronova-Balabolina (Israel Premier Tech Roland) 8: She frequently plays with the top sprinters though it is hard to see her beat them.
• Claire Steels (Israel Premier Tech Roland) 8: at 36, the British rider is having the season of her life. She is a serious contender for top 10 stage finishes in medium stages.
• Lucinda Brand (Lidl – Trek) 8: She certainly is in great shape following her win at the Baloise Ladies Tour. She will certainly have the green card to try out attacks to for others to chase.
• Elizabeth Deignan (Lidl – Trek) 8: The Paris-Roubaix 2021 winner is starting her first Tour de France femmes with the main aim of taking a stage win. She has not shown any form yet so far now except for the Ride London Classique.
• Rachele Barbieri (Liv Racing TeqFind) 8: Main sprinter for the team
• Floortje Mackaij (Movistar Team) 8: Will working for Annemiek Van Vleuten
• Simone Boilard (St Michel – Mavic – Auber93) 8: The Canadian is classic rider who will aim to try solo effort or reduced sprints
• Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) 8: The young team captain will be one to watch although the team will be working for Kool on sprint days and Labous on steeper terrain.
• Megan Jastrab (Team DSM) 8: The American is powerful rider who is more likely to form part of the sprint train for Kool
• Esmée Peperkamp (Team DSM) 8: Her role seems to be by the side of Labous.
• Ane Santesteban (Team Jayco AlUla) 8: She is Team Jayco Alula best climber in this race.
• Anna Henderson (Team Jumbo-Visma) 8: A contender for the Maillot a pois.
• Mischa Bredewold and Christine Majerus (Team SD Worx) 8: Both will be valuable in terms of assist points and have serious chance at stage wins.
• Olivia Baril (UAE Team ADQ) 8: She could feature on the hilly stages although the question is as to whether she is the protected rider.
• Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ) 8: Next in line to sprint if Consonni gets dropped.
• Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) 8: 8th at La Vuelta and 5th at the Giro Donne, she is in the form of her life and could aim for a third Grand Tour top 10 finish. A worthy 8 coins bet.
• Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) 8: Will be spriting along Susanne Andersen
• Anouska Koster (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) 8: The main rider for Uno-X Pro cycling team who poccesse a good punch. She might find too hard on the Tourmalet to figure in the top 10 GC.
• Danielle De Francesco (Arkéa Pro Cycling Team) 6: Not sure as to whether she will be the one sprinting as the team might favour Marie Morgane Ledeunff
• Cédrine Kerbaol (CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling) 6: A real deal at 6 coins as she looks to be sole candidate for GC in her team. she could regularly finish in the top 20 and even the final GC.
• Kathrin Schweinberger (CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling) 6: Another good classic performer for Ceratizit WNT procycling who will be having a free role.
• Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) 6: Will be the main sprinter of the team.
• Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ – SUEZ) 6: A super fast rider who will have the support of a great tean on flat sprint finishes
• Marjolein Van T Geloof (Human Powered Health) 6: Team’s best sprinter
• Ella Wyllie (Lifeplus Wahoo) 6: The 20 year old had an eye opening performance in Itzulia where she finished 12th overall and top 20 on all 3 stages.
• Elise Uijen (Team DSM) 6: She has a taste for breakaways and has already been reward in Valenciana this season.
• Eva Van Agt (Team Jumbo-Visma) 6: Potential top 20 Gc finisher.
• Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) 6: will be sprinting for Confalinieri for Uno-X
• Sarah Roy (Canyon//SRAM Racing) 6: The sole designated sprinter of the team. A worthy pick at 6 points.
• Marie-Morgane Le Deunff (Arkéa Pro Cycling Team) 4: A name straight out of the Mark Miwurdz notebook. She has contested several sprints to finish in the top 10.
• Camille Fahy( St Michel – Mavic – Auber93) 4: A not so bad climber who be will be up and round the 25th place on the Tourmalet
• Lucie Jounier (Team Coop – Hitec Products) 4: The French rider will definitely find her her feet here in the sprints after a difficult season start at Zaaf cycling team.
• Nina Kessler (Team Jayco AlUla) 4: She nearlt escaped my attention but the Dutch riders seems to be the sprinting option on the flat sprints in the absence of Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Laetizia Paternoster. She looks like the best 4 credits rider unless Alex Manly also goes for all the sprints!

This is going to be a spectacular race and the key to having a good Velogames perfomance is aim at earning around 50 points for each one credit spent on the riders according to the scoring system

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