One notable aspect of the women’s start list for the Rome World Cup is how short it is. The men’s race is close to full yet the women’s has fewer than 45 women starting. With Olympic points available in an iconic city, something has gone amiss in the entry procedure.
Whether athletes turning down the opportunity to race or national federations not allowing athletes to participate (there have been confirmed instances of the latter), the cause of the short start lists may be worth further investigation.
While the size of the women’s start list can be called into question, the quality on offer certainly cannot be.
A series of outstanding talents will line up to race in the Italian capital and picking a top-5, let alone a prospective winner, is a real challenge.
One of the names that jumps out is Noelia Juan. The rising Spaniard recently scored a silver medal at the Tangier World Cup. That came a mere week after she logged a personal best WTCS finish by taking 9th place in Pontevedra.
In addition, Juan claimed a silver medal at the Tiszaujvaros World Cup in July, a race she came agonisingly close to winning. Over the Sprint distance, her power on the bike and speed on the run mark her out as a real danger. She is in form and has plenty of confidence behind her and could be in line for another trip to the podium.
The woman that beat Juan in Tiszaujvaros and earned the bronze medal behind her in Tangier, Tilda Månsson, will also be racing. Månsson is a phenomenal talent. As a double World Cup winner she is a proven contender on the circuit.
Moreover, she is one of the best runners in the field. Being so young (Månsson is still a Junior), consistency could be an issue and she may find it a challenge to back up her impressive showing in Tangier. At the same time, her speed makes her a perennial threat over the Sprint distance.
Several other athletes will also be making the journey to Rome after strong performances in Tangier.
Jolien Vermeylen will be racing after finishing 4th in Morocco while Rachel Klamer will race after finishing 5th. Klamer also won a silver medal at the Karlovy Vary World Cup and earned Olympic qualification in Pontevedra.
Then there is the question of what Vicky Holland can do. In her first international race after her maternity break, she placed 7th in Tangier. With a race under her belt and another week sharper, the former world champion could be one to watch.
Rome will also play host to a number of women that did not race in Tangier.
Foremost among them are the German duo of Nina Eim and Annika Koch. Eim won a silver medal at the World Cup in Valencia. To go with that, she finished 6th at the Paris Test Event and 12th in Pontevedra. All three of those performances came over the Olympic distance. Nevertheless, Eim’s rivals should be wary. Classically she has been better over the Sprint distance and her form is a sign that something special could be in store.
Koch, the bronze medallist at WTCS Sunderland, is also fantastic over the Sprint distance. Her day in Pontevedra did not go to plan but before that she also won the Yeongdo World Cup. Given the chance to show her class in Rome, she will no doubt be among the leaders.
Of the home team, Bianca Serengi may be the likeliest to step up. She won the Weihai World Cup and has previously medalled at World Cups over the Sprint distance.
With Maya Kingma on the start list, Seregni also has the perfect breakaway companion to make a potential swim-driven attack stick. In a smaller field, a breakaway may have a little more leeway than usual.
Mathilde Gautier is another that could benefit from a breakaway and has the swim and bike strength to make one happen. Kingma herself should also not be counted out.
Equally, the cycling abilities of Lotte Miller and Solveig Løvseth could go a long way to shaping the race. With a 5% hill on the course, the Norwegian pair could inflict some damage on the bike.
Whether the field sticks together could also influence the day of Albert Kjaer Pedersen. The Danish athlete is a World Cup winner and another that could strike gold in Rome. With so many rivals to overcome, though, she will have to be at her best.
TriStats Predictions
- Annika Koch
- Noelia Juan
- Bianca Seregni
- Nina Eim
- Alberte Kjaer Pedersen
