RideLondon Classique was introduced in 2013 as a one-day race. This year, the race for the first time covers three days. The stages will be ridden in and around London.
On days one and two, the riders will face the necessary hurdles. In the opening stage, there are five climbs in 137 kilometres. The next day there are even eight climbs in 141 kilometres. Both days contain more than 1,000 altitude metres. During the final stage in London, the 85 km long course is entirely flat.
Team Jumbo-Visma Women has no intention of hiding and has several good options. “We are betting on Anna Henderson and Coryn Labecki”, says race coach Lieselot Decroix. “We don’t put too much pressure on them and we don’t have a clear target for the next few days. For many riders, it is the first race after a period without races.”
In addition to Henderson and Labecki, Teuntje Beekhuis, Noemi Rüegg, Aafke Soet and Amber Kraak are also heading to the UK.
The team intends to race assertively and has Labecki, who finished third in the race’s most recent edition, for the sprints. “In the first two stages, Anna, Teuntje, Noemi, Aafke and Amber can go for the attack. If those stages end in a sprint, we have a good chance with Coryn. In the final stage, we’ll focus on the sprint and see if we can compete for the top spots”, Decroix explains the battle plan for the coming days.
RideLondon Classique starts on Friday, May 27 at noon. The second stage on 28 May also begins at noon. The final stage will start on 29 May at 4.45 PM.