Team BikeExchange return to Britain for the final WorldTour stage race of the season as they tackle the six-day Women’s Tour.
Two-time stage winner Sarah Roy will be keen to add further success on British soil, while Spaniard Ane Santesteban looks to build on her strong third place overall at the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche two weeks ago.
Janneke Ensing lines-up for the final stage race of her career with l’Ardèche stage winner Teniel Campbell back in action alongside Jess Allen, all fresh from the inaugural edition of the Paris-Roubaix Femmes.
Despite announcing her retirement at last month, Lucy Kennedy wanted one more taste of racing and has been called up for the Women’s Tour, rounding out the six-rider squad and replacing Georgia Williams who crashed in Paris-Roubaix and will rest as a precaution.
Team BikeExchange at the Women’s Tour:
Jess Allen (AUS)
Teniel Campbell (TTO)
Janneke Ensing (NED)
Lucy Kennedy (AUS)
Sarah Roy (AUS)
Ane Santesteban (ESP)
Sarah Roy:
“Veloviewer has been great to see what the courses will be like this year. The stages look like it will be really fun and interesting racing across the whole week and the terrain really suits our team.
I like that there’s a ‘short’ time trial this year as well. It’ll really sort out the GC which can open the racing up a bit differently for non time trial riders.
It’s been a really long season, especially for the Australians, having started racing back in January. It’s also been a special year with the Olympics and the first time we’ve had a really popular, strong stage race after the world championships, which I think means we might see a number of riders absent from the tour or slightly fatigued given the demanding season. I expect to see some great racing though, our peloton is relentless.”
Martin Vestby (Head Sport Director):
“There is going to be quite a lot of stages that are exposed to wind and at this time of year there could be a bit of everything. It is a great race and it is one of the bigger tours this year, so we are motivated.
I think with the course this year and the form Roy is in, if she can recover from Roubaix with the form she has, I think we have a strong card with her, but I think we should play with all the opportunities that we have.”
2021 Women’s Tour – Stage Details:
Monday, 4th October: Stage 1, Bicester-Banbury, 147.7km
Tuesday, 5th October: Stage 2, Walsall-Walsall, 102km
Wednesday, 6th October: Stage 3, Atherstone-Atherstone, 16.6km (TT)
Thursday, 7th October: Stage 4, Shoeburyness-Southend-on-Sea, 117.8
Friday, 8th October: Stage 5, Colchester-Clacton, 95.4km
Saturday, 9th October: Stage 6, Haverhill-Felixstone, 155.3km
Photo Courtesy of Getty Sport.