AG Insurance - Soudal to the Ladies Tour

Our six-rider team has GC ambitions for this week’s race.

The Ladies Tour is one of the most important races of the month, an event that suits the fast riders, but also those who can handle efforts against the clock. This makes for a spectacular week and a fascinating battle for the general classification, as the gaps are usually small until the very last stage.

A 3.9km prologue in IJzendijke will establish an initial pecking order before the sprinters move into the spotlight in the next two stages. Saturday will be an interesting and potentially decisive day, as it comprises two half-stages, an 8.4km individual time trial in the morning followed by a road stage in the afternoon, but also Sunday could play an important role in the outcome, due to the presence of five cobbled sectors on the flat circuit around Mechelen.

Last year, Marthe Goossens enjoyed a strong and consistent week in the Ladies Tour, finishing third overall after a great team effort, and the 24-year-old Belgian - sixth at the Belgian ITT Nationals in June - will be again at the start with the goal of being a protagonist on home turf.

Marthe, who is in her fourth season with AG Insurance - Soudal, will be joined for the race taking place between 15-19 July by Messane Bräutigam, Anna Bruneel, Amandine Fouquenet, Alexandra Manly, and Gladys Verhulst-Wild, winner of the Trofee Maarten Wynants two months ago.

“We’re ready for five days of racing. The general classification should be shaped again by the two stages against the clock. There will be a couple of sprint opportunities, where we hope to see Gladys in the mix, but we’re also motivated to support Marthe and see how far she can go in the overall standings after concluding third last year”, explained sports director Fien Delbaere.