The Women’s WorldTour season comes to a close this week in China with the three-day Tour of Chongming Island from October 15 through 17 followed by the Tour of Guangxi on October 20.
Sprinter Daria Pikulik won Guangxi last year, creating an incredible record of being the first cyclist to ever bookend the WorldTour by winning on the first and final day of the season. This year, the course in Southern China is far hillier, suiting climbers Barbara Malcotti and Giada Borghesi, with the sprinting contingent focussing on the three-day Chongming Island.
They are joined by Tour Down Under QOM Katia Ragusa, leadout rider Wiktoria Pikulik, and sprinter Silvia Zanardi to create a strong six for both objectives.
How to watch
Tour of Chongming Island 10/15 – 10/17
USA
Max via the B/R Sports Add-On from 1:05 am ET / Midnight CT / 11 pm MT (from 10/14) / 10 pm PT (from 10/14)
Greater Europe and UK
Discovery+ from 06:05 – 07:30 BST / 07:05 – 08:30 CET
Belgium + the Netherlands
Max via the B/R Sports Add-On from 07:05 – 08:30 CET
Tour of Guangxi 10/20 (evening of 10/19 in North America)
USA
Max via the B/R Sports Add-On from 11:15 pm ET / 10:15 pm CT / 9:15 pm MT / 8:15 pm PT
Greater Europe and UK
Discovery+ from 04:15 – 05:15 BST / 05:15 – 06:15 CET
Belgium + the Netherlands
Max via the B/R Sports Add-On from 05:15 – 06:15 CET
Eyes on the final prize
Sprinter Pikulik is keen for another good showing in China. The 27-year-old has had another big year with 2 wins, 11 podiums, and an Olympic silver medal – success that catapulted Pikulik to national stardom in Poland – to her name.
“I’m really excited and have great memories from last year,” says Pikulik. “We did a perfect race here, so we look forward to doing this again. The season was long and stressful with the Olympics but we are ready to finish this season in China in style. We will do our best.”
Pikulik and Zanardi are the powerhouses of the squad in China with the hilly Tour of Guangxi throwing up some questions on what could happen. Therefore, Malcotti and Borghesi will be looking at the profile with glee.
“The loops seem like they could make hard racing,” explains Malcotti. “I want to enjoy the race and aim to get a good result if the racing gets hard.”
In the buildup to the racing, back in September the athletes headed for the Monte Marcella resort in Belgium. A state-of-the-art hotel that simulates staying at high altitudes thanks to totally controlled rooms and common areas, the late-season camp was the perfect way to set up the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025.
“Riders train at altitude for various benefits, the main one being to increase red blood cells in the system, allowing them to make longer and harder sustainable efforts at lower altitude,” explains coach Callum McQueen. “We often see an increase in VO2 max, decrease in heart rate and a production in myoglobin (a muscle protein) which causes a reduction in lactic acid build-up.”
Altitude training is a crucial part of any athlete’s regime.
“The work increased the athlete’s performance and promoted a successful environment that allowed them to fully focus on their training. This has strengthened the team, and we can now carry that positive momentum and focus on the final part of the year,” says McQueen. “The location of the altitude camp meant that we were also able to begin shifting our performance focus into the early season Classics, to test different equipment allowing us to prepare and optimize ourselves properly ahead of 2025.”
Tour of Chongming Island stage-by-stage
10/15 Stage 1 | Chongming New City Park – Chongming New City Park (108.9 km) Flat
The opening day in China sets the tone for the week with a flat stage where humid conditions could play as much of a factor as the parcours. The sprinter’s teams will face a straight final 800 meters on a wide highway, with space enough for a classic field sprint.
10/16 Stage 2 | Changxing Island Country Park – Chongming New City Park (129 km) Flat
Stage 2 tours the east of Chongming Island, finishing the opposite way on the same wide finish straight from stage one. Stage one’s technical final left-hander is replaced by a right-hand corner where a strong lead-out will prove decisive.
10/17 Stage 3 | Chongming New City Park – Chongming New City Park (111.4 km) Flat
A more contained route on the final day, with a few more tight corners. The finish straight here is the longest of the week with a three-kilometer arrow-straight highway finish.
Tour of Guangxi
10/20 Nanning – Nanning (133.4km) Hilly
A changed route to last year with 600 meters more climbing involved could throw up a different result. There are five ascents of a steep 1.4km at 11% climb before almost 25km of flat to the line. Strong sprinters may survive to the end, or, if the pressure is put on early, a small group could contest the final WorldTour race of the year.
Follow comprehensive coverage of Human Powered Heath’s fortunes throughout the week via the team’s Instagram, Facebook, and X accounts.
