2021 World Championships Women RR Race Preview
The details of this year's 2021 World Championships Women RR are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The road to Leuven winds through some of the most demanding terrain Belgian cycling has to offer, and the women's elite road race at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships promises to be one of the most gruelling and exciting contests in recent memory. The parcours is unforgiving, featuring repeated ascents of the Wijnpers and Smeysberg climbs before the brutal finale on the Cieberg and the fearsome Wijnpers once more, all within the final kilometres before a finish on the cobbled streets of Leuven itself. With over a hundred kilometres of racing and significant cumulative elevation gain, only the strongest and most tactically astute riders will be in contention when it matters most.
The Dutch team arrives as the overwhelming favourite, as it so often does at major championships. Anna van der Breggen, making her final appearance as a competitive rider before transitioning to a directorial role at SD Worx, will be looking to bow out with a rainbow jersey. Alongside her, Annemiek van Vleuten presents perhaps the single most dangerous individual threat in the entire field. Van Vleuten's climbing ability, her time trialling strength, and her capacity to ride away from groups on difficult terrain make her the woman everyone will need to watch on those final ascents. The Netherlands also has depth to burn, with Demi Vollering and others capable of featuring in any final selection.
Belgium will be desperate to perform on home roads in front of what will be a passionate and vocal crowd lining every climb and corner. Lotte Kopecky has been enjoying a strong season and will relish the opportunity to race in familiar conditions, while Jolien D'hoore brings her sprinting pedigree to a finish that could, under certain circumstances, come down to a reduced bunch. The noise generated by Belgian supporters on the Wijnpers and the Cieberg could prove genuinely inspirational for the home riders.
Elisa Longo Borghini leads an Italian squad that has every reason for optimism. She is a complete rider capable of climbing, attacking, and handling the cobbled surfaces with skill, and Italy has the numbers and the tactical flexibility to cause problems for even the deepest teams. Elizabeth Deignan, racing for Great Britain, has shown extraordinary form throughout the season and her experience at the highest level means she cannot be discounted, particularly if the race breaks apart on the climbs and a small group goes to the finish.
The course itself will likely make selection brutally early. The repeated nature of the climbs means that tired legs will crack well before the final circuit, and any team that brings multiple cards to play will hold a significant advantage over those relying on a single leader. The cobbled finish in Leuven adds another layer of complexity, demanding both bike handling and nerve at the end of what will be an exhausting day.
Expect attacks on the Cieberg with riders testing each other, expect the Dutch to be watchful but also proactive, and expect van Vleuten in particular to be at the heart of the decisive move. This race has all the ingredients for a classic.
Get our full coverage of the World Championships Women RR and every race we cover with our mobile app! The apps have over 100 additional exclusive features, including our award-winning Time Machine feature that lets you pause/rewind/replay the entire app to sync with delayed race video, integrated Fantasy Cycling, push notifications, an integrated news feed, live GPS tracking, world-class commentary, and our animated interactive maps and profiles.
