UrbanUltra Women

So, you probably know that the Tour de France is currently underway and in its second week of its 3 week tour of France. Of course you do, it’s in the papers every day. Also on the TV and on the radio and in every cycling magazine you care to mention.

But what of the little-advertised virtually invisible Giro Donne? Did you know that the women’s tour of Italy has just come to an end with some superb performances from many of the riders? I’m guessing you didn’t. Why would you. It, by contrast, is not in every paper, website or on TV or radio.

Which is a shame, but also the reason why the women’s equivalent of the Tour de France was cancelled this year – no coverage equals no viewers, no interest and no sponsorship. It really doesn’t help that the Giro Donne website is entirely in Italian (or French). I have no problem with that, it is an Italian event – but PLEASE put it in English as well – so the English speaking world can enjoy, spread the word and participate in the event and stage results.

Out of interest the other day, I tried to find a cycling shirt from a prominent ladies cycling team on the internet, to see if I could buy one and support my favourite rider. Guess how many I could find? None. Zero. Not one single jersey. By contrast – the men’s team shirts are prevalent on many online stores and one only has to ride out on a Friday morning to see guys sporting their ‘team” colours, women too (but having bought the XS version of the men’s teams). It’s a small point. But it reflects the issue I raise. No coverage equals no sponsorship and no money. No money, no race. I would gladly, preferably wear a women’s shirt (made for women) from a women’s team, supporting my favourite female rider, but none exist. If they did, it would of course also be promoting their sponsors, but alas, until marketing companies wake up to the fact that there are thousands of female cycling enthusiasts that would like to watch, support and wear (Read: BUY/$$$$) the kit of their favourite teams, sponsors will remain reluctant to plough money into an under-exposed sport.

So, here are the results of the Giro Donne – in the absence of any newspaper (outside of the US and Italy) carrying the news.

Mara Abbott (U.S. National Team) became the first American woman to win the Giro Donne today, finishing the flat final stage with rest of the field to retain her 2:05 advantage over second place Judith Arndt (HTC-Columbia).

Teammate Shelly Evans grabbed the third stage win for the U.S. team, winning the final stage of out of a bunch sprint ahead of Kirsten Wild (Cérvelo TestTeam) and Giorgia Bronzini (Gauss RDZ Ormu) to finish off a successful week for the U.S. squad.

Abbot grabbed the race by the throat in the 8th stage, taking off in a breakaway with Cérvelo’s climbing star Emma Pooley before dropping the Brit and winning the stage by nearly a minute and a half. The move put Abbott into the overall lead, 19 seconds ahead of Arndt.

The following day Abbott once again proved she was the strongest climber in the race, going away with Pooley for the second day in a row before dropping her in the final 3 kilometers of the Passo del Stelvio. Arndt suffered up the Stelvio and lost 1:43 on the day, extending Abbott’s lead to over two minutes.

With only one relatively flat stage remaining, Abbott’s effort on the Stelvio all but assured her the overall win.

National teams tend to suffer when pitted against the top trade teams in the world, like Cérvelo TestTeam and HTC-Columbia, making the U.S. team’s success all the more impressive – though not entirely unexpected. For years the team has been developing riders capable of performing at the highest international level – like Abbott, Evans, and Amber Neben – and has now hit a critical mass of talent. The squad is now deep enough to perform against the cream of the international crop.

USA Cycling also hired former Cérveo director Manel Lacambra to direct the women’s squad at this year’s Giro, and his international experience paid off.

“I am very proud of these riders. Three stage wins and the overall win is something crazy for a national team,” said Lacambra. “Amazing teamwork from these girls, even though it was the first time that they raced together. We are more than a team, we are a friends enjoying life and racing together for a win. Without the good work from everyone on the team we could not have won the hardest Giro d’Italia ever.”

“I have never been so proud to be part of something like this,” U.S. team member Alison Starnes said via Twitter after the stage.

Giro Donne – Final General Classification (July 2nd – 10th 2010)

1.   ABBOTT Mara (Nazionale USA) in 25h15′54’’

2.   ARNDT Judith (HTC Columbia Women) a 2′05’’

3.   GUDERZO Tatiana (Team Valdarno) a 3′05’’

4.   HAUSLER Claudia (Cervelo Test Team) a 5′26’’

5.   POOLEY Emma (Cervelo Test Team) a 7′29’’

6.   VYSOTSKA Eivgenia (Team Valdarno) a 8′23

7.   VOS Marianne (Nazionale Olanda) a 9′24’’

8.   ANTOSHINA Tatiana (Team Valdarno) a 12′08’’

9.   ZABELINSKAYA Olga (Safi Pasta Zara) a 23′03’’

10. BERLATO Elena (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Ghezzi) a 25′50’’

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