The Women’s Tour has gathered a great deal of attention this week and we’ve been fortunate to meet the girls behind the action. You may be following the races on TV or social media, but we think you should check out the speeds, watts and kilometers they are logging on Strava. They’ve racked up hundreds of QOMs, taken stage wins and fought for the orange polka-dot QOM jersey. Follow these women as they make their way to the final stage in Bury St Edmunds.
Marianne Vos – Rabo-Liv
strava.com/pros/mariannevosofficial
Marianne is the current world champion on the road – for the third time – seven times world cyclocross champion, world points champion on the track, Olympic road race Gold, twice Giro d’Italia Femmenile winner, and odds on to win the Friends Life Women’s Tour. The best cyclist ever?
Dani King – Wiggle-Honda
Dani is Olympic gold in the track team pursuit, three times world champion of the same discipline and the world record holder. She’s aiming for Rio 2016 and then may concentrate fully on the road.
Sharon Laws – UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
Sharon is a former British time trial champion, a podium finisher in the British national road race champs, the Giro di Trentino and other races. She’s also currently favourite to take the Strava Queen of the Mountains jersey at the Women’s Tour.
Katie Hall – UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
In her first year with United Healthcare, Katie Hall won the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic, Mt. Tam HC and numerous other races.
Cari Higgins – UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
Cari Higgins put a corporate career on hold to turn pro at the age of 32, and has represented the US on both road and track.
Lauren Tamayo – UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
Lauren is an Olympic silver medallist in the track team pursuit and has podiumed at the Tour de Grand Montréal and Tour de Bretagne Feminine.
Ruth Winder – UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
Ruth has won several US national titles on the track, and has broken out this year on the road with UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling.
Ellen van Dijk – Boels Dolemans
A former speed skater, Ellen van Dijk has multiple Dutch national titles as well as world time trial, scratch race and team time trial accolades. She won the women’s Tour of Flanders this year.
Annameik van Vleuten – Rabo-Liv
Annameik was in 2011 the UCI women’s road world cup winner, and was also part of the London 2012 road squad that helped Marianne Vos win gold.
Peta Mullens – Wiggle-Honda
Peta has Australian national titles to her name in both cross-country mountain biking and on the road (as an U23).
Katie Archibald – Team GB
strava.com/pros/katie_archibald
Katie Archibald has been riding the Women’s Tour with the GB development squad. On the track, she is a reigning european and world team pursuit champion.
Alice Maria Arzuffi – Astana Bepink
Alice Maria Arzuffi is a former U23 Italian national cyclocross champion and is riding her first season on the road with Astana Bepink.