La Course 2021: Preview and probably preposterous predictions
As one of the final races before the Olympics this year in the Women’s World Tour (WWT), the 8th edition of La Course by Le Tour de France is set to be an incredibly exciting event, at an incredibly annoying time in the morning for a Saturday.
You’ve probably read elsewhere and in more detail that this is the last year the race will be run in this format, as the organisers have (finally) decided it’s time to reinstate the women’s Tour de France stage race in 2022.
Held on the same day as the men’s Grand Départ, the route for the 2021 La Course follows a similar design, in that it travels through the choppy terrain of Bretagne from Brest to Landerneau. Once there, the riders will take in a 14km circuit a total of four times. This loop includes the Côte de la Fosse aux Loups, 3km in length with an average gradient of 5.7%. Doesn’t sound too bad for a day out on the bike, but they’re doing it at full gas four times, and as someone who recently did hill reps for the first time in a long while, I can tell you, there are going to be some incredible pain faces. Particularly when the finish line sits atop the crest.
I am by no means an expert or pretend to know anything of the extensive history of cycling. I can’t tell you anything interesting about the 2003 Tour de France, or what Jacques Anquetil would eat for breakfast any more than I can recite the periodic table. But what I can tell you, is who the key players for tomorrow’s race might be.
Lizzie Deignan - Just won the Tour de Suisse, and 2020 winner of this race. Mad to overlook Lizzie as she’s building her form ahead of the Olympics.
Anna van der Breggan - I don’t feel like this needs justifying.
Kasia Niewiadoma - Is the parcours hilly enough for her? We shall see. Still waiting for her first 2021 WWT victory, I’d love to see her win here.
Marianne Vos - The G.O.A.T., runner up last year, winner twice before.
This is by no means an extensive list. There are so many people that could win this thing, and we all know that nothing is promised in a bike race. I tried to have a look at the bookies to see who’s being backed, but they appear to be as interested in women’s cycling as I am in snooker so we’ve got no chance.
SD Worx is bringing such an impressive line-up that if AvdB has a bad day, she can call on Chantal van den Broek-Blaak and her protégé Demi Vollering to take the reigns and win it. Trek-Segafredo is bringing an equally promising squad, having Ruth Winder, Lucinda Brand and Audrey Cordon-Ragot as other winning options.
Of all the teams, I’d say those two are among the strongest. But, other riders have proven before that teamwork doesn’t always make the dream work. Grace Brown is on an ascent to superstar status, and her ability to make everyone else hurt and leave them behind will come in handy either for herself or Amanda Spratt.
I’m not going to go on about every single team because, frankly, I don’t think anyone will read this or make it to this point if they started. Who would I like to win? I’d love a Rally Cycling rider to win this and shake things up, but I am a bit biased.
Essentially, if you’re up at 7ish tomorrow morning, whack on Eurosport or GCN and join me in celebrating the pinnacle of professional women’s cycling as they ride through France stupidly fast.
Final Predictions
Head: Anna van der Breggan - SD Worx
Heart: Kasia Niewiadoma - Canyon SRAM
Wildcard: Not really that wild, Grace Brown - Team BikeExchange
