Road season is starting to heat up at the literal, actual start of summer fast approaches. This past week, we’ve had our eyes on a couple of women’s races both here in the U.S. and abroad.
The Women’s WorldTour is in Great Britain for the EVO Energy Women’s Tour, while the domestic crit scene was in Oklahoma at the famed Tulsa Tough weekend.
We take a look at how some cyclocrossers fared in this reboot of Rumors and Rumblings.
Vos, the Good and the Bad
The last we saw Marianne Vos (CCC – Liv), the Boss was winning the Tour of Yorkshire, where payouts were equal and the women raced the same routes as the men, at least during the two stages the women raced compared to the men’s four.
This week, Vos was back in action in Britain at the six-stage OVO Energy Women’s Tour. Vos took the sprint win in Tuesday’s Stage 2 which also gave her the GC lead.
🏁 @marianne_vos 🇳🇱 (@CCCLivTeam) wins stage two of the @OVOEnergy Women’s Tour at the Kent @Cyclopark!#OVOWT #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/Mk28JjOmde
— The Women's Tour (@thewomenstour) June 11, 2019
Vos’ Tour took a turn for the ugly the next day when was involved in a bad crash during Stage 3 and had to abandon the race after suffering cuts to her face. She shared a status update and appears to be mostly okay.
Not the note I would have wanted to end my @thewomenstour with… An unfortunate day for us with 4 riders out. I'm okay, despite the fact that I look like a boxer. I'd like to say thanks to the medical assistance & wish all others involved in the crashes a good recovery. #OVOWT https://t.co/xwrLG6jhmf
— Marianne Vos (@marianne_vos) June 12, 2019
Before her crash, cameras did catch Vos using her cyclocross skills to pull off a quick bike change. Yet another reason to keep racing ’cross while also racing on the road.
A race-saving moment?
How good was @marianne_vos's cyclo-cross bike change during Tuesday's stage at the Kent @Cyclopark? 👌#OVOWT #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/FIjhvB3v1c
— The Women's Tour (@thewomenstour) June 12, 2019
Clouse Shines at Tulsa Tough
The Tulsa Tough criterium weekend in Oklahoma has grown into one of the most popular race weekends in the U.S. Highlighted by Cry Baby Hill at Sunday’s River Hills Criterium, the event drew the best crit racers in the U.S., and Friday’s race served as the 4th stop of the 10-race USA Crits series.
One young star in Skylar Schneider (Boels-Dolmans) was back home for some domestic crit racing and another in Katie Clouse (DNA Pro Cycling Team) showed some of her promise as she improved throughout the three-race weekend.
Friday’s race belonged to the Schneider sisters, with Samantha (CWA Racing P/B Trek) winning and Skylar (Boels Dolmans) finishing second in the bunch sprint. Lily Williams (Hagen Bermans Supermint) finished 4th and Katie Clouse (DNA Pro Cycling Team) finished 13th.
Saturday, Australian Peta Mullens (Roxsolt Attaquer) got the win, while Clouse moved up to 10th.
Sunday’s finale on Cry Baby Hill was Clouse’s best result of the weekend, with the young star finishing 4th. Williams wrapped up her weekend just outside the Top 10 in 12th.
Race replays for Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 are available from usacrits.tv.
Featured image: Bart Hazen
