Competitors for the Simac Ladies Tour include Lorena Wiebes, Elisa Balsamo, and Cat Ferguson, as they confront the open-stage race
The Women's WorldTour season is entering its penultimate stage with the Simac Ladies Tour, a six-day race taking place in the Netherlands. This flat stage race, known for its numerous sprint opportunities, is shaping up to be an exciting contest.
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) is the clear favourite for the win, boasting the title of the fastest sprinter in the peloton. With multiple stage wins expected, Wiebes is expected to dominate the sprints. However, the overall win might not be as straightforward for the Dutch rider.
SD Worx-Protime have won the last five editions of the Simac Ladies Tour and are aiming to extend their streak. But they face stiff competition from other teams and riders.
Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) is a strong sprinter, having won the Tour of Britain Women, and could pose a threat to Wiebes in the sprints. Cat Ferguson, a first-year pro at Movistar, is another favourite for the overall win. Ferguson, who is the junior time trial world champion, has shown her sprinting ability and Classics-type riding skills, making the stages in Simac suitable for her.
Ferguson, however, has not competed in an elite TT this year, which could be a disadvantage in the 10km long time trial on stage 5. Letizia Paternoster, on the other hand, is a versatile rider who could take a good overall result at Simac, especially in the shorter TT. Paternoster, who is Picnic PostNL's leader for Simac, is more of an all-rounder than a pure sprinter and could cover any smaller moves and have a good TT.
Zoe Bäckstedt is another rider to watch out for. Bäckstedt, who won the Baloise Ladies Tour earlier in the summer, taking three stage wins, is a serious contender for the overall win in Simac. With a combination of sprinting ability, aggression, and a strong TT, Bäckstedt could challenge Wiebes for the overall win.
The GC could also be won by a rider who finishes consistently in the sprints and performs well in the TT. Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health) is great at making an opportunity in a breakaway, while Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) is a breakaway specialist and strong GC rider leading a UAE team searching for opportunities.
Another scenario for the GC win is a rider taking a chunk of time with a breakaway or attack and defending that time. Marta Lach and Blanka Vas from SD Worx-Protime could go on the attack and potentially win the GC or chase down any rider attempting to do so.
The GC of the Simac Ladies Tour is likely to be decided by the stage 5 time trial and the cobbled sectors on stage 6. With such a competitive field and numerous scenarios for the GC win, the Simac Ladies Tour promises to be an exciting event.
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