I’m hoping for some Cedrine fireworks at MSR - was a bit disappointed not to see one of her nuclear descents down the Poggio last year.

My usual mixture of excitement and nervousness about my favourites. But particularly looking forward to the Kim / Leti combination in the classics (esp Paris Roubaix) for AG Insurance. And Sarah G on Mont Ventoux!

Oh do stop it. It’s a bit of fun for those of us who love lists and who still compile our own charts (at 62). It’s not AI trying to brainwash us. My top 5 songs of the year includes both death metal and Nina Nesbitt, so nobody is genre pigeonholing me.

I still fondly remember Streetwise (ITV show from 1989, I think with Andy Serkis and Suzanna Hamilton among others)

Feels like 500 anyway

500?

My two favourite riders on the shortlist! I feel my fanboy status for Kim and Sarah is justified.

A real shame. Luckily today was probably the least important for the GC.

It’s pronounced ‘Bossett’ I think (based on the Sporza comms for the race where Wiebes beat her into 3rd the other day)

I’ll select Wiebes. I should win given that hardly anyone else appears to be riding

Sarah’s retirement feels like the end of an era. Just Spratty and Alex left from that 2016-17 Orica team that were my first passion in the sport.

Deepest sympathy Lukas.

Good luck, hope someone bites. Given the abysmal failure of almost all the women’s teams to recognise Kim Le Court’s potential from a similar communication, you’d hope the teams have reviewed what they did wrong there & won’t make the same mistake again. And Magnus has actual road form too!

It’s Schroedinger’s race again as we try and figure out what happened from the results sheet. Was Helena Jones a DNF because she was caught up in the same crash that Felicity might have been in, if there actually was a crash? AG Insurance’s Belgian contingent biding their time in the bunch.

I'm sure fellow Kim Le Court fans out there are going to spend the next 33 days getting just as excited as I seem to be already! Not that I'm counting or anything.

Unclear whether Kopecky will be there to defend her title - I guess her planned ride in Ardeche and how she feels on the climbs there after her recent back problem will be a massive factor in her decision. Good form on the track this last weekend though, winning the Prague omnium from Shari Bossuyt

Discovery Plus are showing the men's race but not the women's race, of course