Women’s Tour launches virtual race, Buchmann’s big ride: Daily News Digest
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Hello again, CyclingTips readers.
We close out the week with news on some topics that are probably pretty familiar for DND readers lately: virtual racing, Everesting attempts, and pros’ plans.
For starters, the Women’s Tour has announced an e-race that will take place on the RGT platform, the Skoda V-Series Women’s Tour. While it won’t be the same as the actual Women’s Tour, it will at least feature plenty of marquee squads, just like the real thing.
Meanwhile, Emanuel Buchmann put in a pretty impressive ride in the Austrian Alps on Friday, racking up a vertical gain equivalent to the height of Mount Everest in under eight hours. While his ride may not been an official Everesting record, as he did not appear to complete it all on the same stretch of road and his total time was a bit greater than his moving time, it’s one heck of a ride nonetheless.
Here’s hoping you get in some ride time of your own this weekend …
Dane Cash
News Editor
What’s news
| Women’s Tour goes virtual with Skoda V-Series
The actual Women’s Tour may have been called off for 2020, but organizers will host a showdown for some big names just the same, announcing on Friday the creation of a three-stage virtual race on the RGT platform.
The Skoda V-Series Women’s Tour will take place from June 17 to 19 and will feature 15 pro teams, including Bigla-Katusha, Boels-Dolmans, FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope, Hitec Products, Lotto-Soudal, Tibco-SVB, and Trek-Segafredo.
| Williams brothers will lead virtual Armed Forces Cycling Classic ride
Speaking of virtual cycling, in lieu of this year’s Armed Forces Cycling Classic, organizers have announced a handful of virtual events, including a no-drop ride that will be led by Justin and Cory Williams, both of Legion of Los Angeles.
The ride will take place on Saturday, May 30, on Zwift.
| Buchmann racks up 8,848 meters of elevation in 7:28
In an attempt to ascend the elevation of Mount Everest for charity, Emanuel Buchmann racked up 8,848 meters of elevation gain in, according to a Bora-Hansgrohe press release, an incredible seven hours, 28 minutes of riding time on Friday. According to Strava, the elapsed time of his ride was a bit longer at 7:53:44.
The German climber, fourth overall at last year’s Tour de France, completed the effort in the Austrian Alps to raise funds for the Deutsche Kinderhilfswerk (German Children’s Fund).
Buchmann’s attempt has not been confirmed as an official Everesting record, though, due to the total elapsed ride time and the fact that, at least according to the Strava data, he appeared to compile a small part of his vertical gain on one face of a climb before taking on the other side eight times to rack up the remainder. (An official Everesting attempt requires all vertical gain to be accrued via repeated trips up the same stretch of road.)
| Philipsen eyes the Vuelta
Rising sprint talent Jasper Philipsen is planning to make his Vuelta a España debut this season, he said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws.
The 22-year-old Belgian, who made his Grand Tour debut at last year’s Tour de France, will focus on the Classics that don’t overlap with the Spanish Grand Tour and then likely be his UAE team’s sprint leader there, while Alexander Kristoff will likely take sprint duties at the Tour de France.
| Vaughters: EF is not leaving cycling
Apparently responding to rumors suggesting that his squad’s sponsor EF Education First would be pulling out of the sport, EF team CEO Jonathan Vaughters took to Twitter on Thursday to clarify the team’s situation.
“Is EF leaving cycling? No,” he wrote. “Would we love some additional sponsors to get out of this Covid mess? YES.”
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SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY NEWS DIGEST PODCASTToday’s featured image of Jolien D’Hoore sprinting to victory on stage 1 of the 2019 Women’s Tour comes from Cor Vos.
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