{"id":8237,"date":"2025-06-30T17:46:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T15:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/?p=8237"},"modified":"2025-07-07T17:54:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T15:54:06","slug":"under-the-radar-womens-races-to-watch-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/2025\/06\/30\/under-the-radar-womens-races-to-watch-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Under the Radar: Women\u2019s Races to Watch This Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to women\u2019s cycling, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Giro Donne understandably steal the headlines. They\u2019re grand, dramatic, and full of star power\u2014must-watch events that continue to elevate the sport. But if you stop there, you\u2019re missing half the story. While the biggest races may dominate the spotlight, it\u2019s the smaller, lesser-known events that often deliver the most unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat racing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

These are the races where young riders take risks, team strategies unfold in real time, and every second counts. With fewer stages and tighter competition, the action is punchier, the tactics more daring, and the outcomes far from certain. It\u2019s also where future stars cut their teeth\u2014and where devoted fans get a glimpse of the sport at its most raw and exciting.<\/span><\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re ready to broaden your cycling horizons this summer, keep your eye on these under-the-radar women\u2019s races. You might just discover your new favourite event.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin<\/b><\/h2>\n

August 15\u201317, Switzerland<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin<\/a> may be a relatively new addition to the calendar\u2014first held in 2022\u2014but it’s already carved out a distinct identity. Set in French-speaking Switzerland, the three-day race delivers a blend of mountainous terrain, unpredictable weather, and punchy finishes that make it anything but straightforward.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each edition has packed in drama, with routes that challenge both climbers and all-rounders. Expect rolling hills, technical descents, and the kind of mid-stage crosswinds that can split the bunch and derail GC ambitions in an instant. The Swiss roads demand constant attention, and time gaps can open quickly, especially on the final stage, which usually finishes with a decisive summit or selective circuit.<\/span><\/p>\n

What makes Romandie particularly compelling is the late-season feel in mid-August\u2014riders aiming to sharpen up before Worlds often show up here with serious intent. It\u2019s also a rare chance for Swiss riders to shine on home soil in front of passionate crowds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Classic Lorient Agglom\u00e9ration \u2013 Troph\u00e9e CERATIZIT<\/b><\/h2>\n

\ud83d\udcc5 <\/span>August 30<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i> \ud83d\udccd <\/span>France<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i> \ud83d\udd17<\/span> classiclorient.bzh<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

One of the final chances for riders to impress before the World Championships, this French one-day classic often flies under the radar\u2014but it shouldn\u2019t. Held in the cycling-mad region of Brittany, the Classic Lorient<\/a> is a punchy, technical race that almost never ends in a straightforward sprint.<\/span><\/p>\n

The route typically includes short climbs, twisty descents, and multiple laps of a circuit that encourages relentless attacking. It\u2019s perfect terrain for riders like Liane Lippert or Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig to go rogue and shake up the script. Team tactics here tend to be aggressive, especially from riders aiming to lock in World Championship selections or finish the summer season on a high.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a great watch\u2014dynamic, open, and unpredictable, with the feel of a mini Ardennes Classic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Simac Ladies Tour<\/b><\/h2>\n

September 2\u20137, The Netherlands<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Flat on paper, but never easy\u2014the Simac Ladies Tour<\/a> is a high-speed chess match across the Dutch lowlands. As the longest-running women\u2019s stage race in the Netherlands, it\u2019s a staple of the calendar and a favourite among sprinters, rouleurs, and time trial specialists. But don\u2019t be fooled by the terrain: narrow roads, aggressive racing, and ever-present crosswinds mean this race is anything but predictable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stages range from short, sharp time trials to circuit-heavy road days that reward strong team tactics and sharp positioning. With a mix of WorldTour and Dutch domestic squads on the start list, there’s always a lively fight for breakaways\u2014and it\u2019s one of the few stage races where stage wins can matter more than the general classification.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Simac Ladies Tour also offers a valuable look at post-Tour form. Held in early September, it often features top riders tuning up for the World Championships or capping off their season on a high. For Dutch fans, it\u2019s a chance to cheer on homegrown talent, many of whom have grown up racing on these very roads.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget the big ones\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, no summer of women\u2019s cycling is complete without the flagship events. The <\/span>Giro d\u2019Italia Women<\/b>, running from July 6\u201313, is a cornerstone of the calendar. This year\u2019s route features classic Italian climbs like Monte Nerone and the iconic Passo del Tonale, alongside flatter stages and a technical time trial opener in Bergamo. It\u2019s a week of intense GC racing, and it often provides the first real showdown between the season\u2019s top climbers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the <\/span>Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift<\/a>,<\/a> returning July 26 to August 3 with its most ambitious route yet: nine stages crossing from the coast of Brittany into the Alps, with decisive mountain finishes on Col de la Madeleine and Col de Joux Plane. With a deep GC field and growing media attention, this race continues to redefine what\u2019s possible in women\u2019s cycling\u2014and elevate the sport to new heights.<\/span><\/p>\n

But while these two races will dominate headlines, it\u2019s the smaller, scrappier events where you often see the most daring tactics and the biggest surprises!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When it comes to women\u2019s cycling, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Giro Donne understandably steal the headlines. 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