"Niamh Fisher-Black continuing her learning journey as she takes on the team leadership position during the Tour de France Femmes"
Niamh Fisher-Black Aims for Mountain Stage Success at Tour de France Femmes
New Zealand's Niamh Fisher-Black is gearing up for the mountain stages of the Tour de France Femmes, hoping to make a mark in the key climbs. The 23-year-old cyclist, who joined Lidl-Trek this year, has been identified as a rising star within the team and a potential GC contender.
Fisher-Black lost some ground on stage 5, moving her down to 14th in the GC with a gap of 1:41 to the race leader. However, she remains optimistic about her season, viewing it as consistently improving and being better and better. She expressed a desire to give back to her team by achieving a top result or a win.
The mountain stages, while outside her comfort zone, excite Fisher-Black. She acknowledges the Col de Madeleine, the biggest test on stage 8, as a very hard climb, but is looking forward to the challenge. Fisher-Black has ridden the Col de Madeleine before, and her team manager, Blijlevens, believes she can still do a good GC in the mountain stages.
Lidl-Trek is undergoing a transformation due to the departure of Elisa Longo Borghini and the retirements of Lizzie Deignan and Ellen van Dijk. The team is focusing on fast-tracking the development of riders like Fisher-Black to fill the void left by these departures. Fisher-Black is learning to take on a leadership role at Lidl-Trek, as the team is aiming to become a super-team in the peloton.
Fisher-Black's season has been marked by improvements and top 10 results at races like Strade Bianche, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and La Fleche Wallonne. She finished sixth overall at the Vuelta Femenina and fourth at the Tour de Suisse Women. Lidl-Trek is backing Fisher-Black at the Tour de France Femmes, indicating progress in her development.
Fisher-Black mentioned that she still tastes the top result or the win, indicating her ambition to achieve more. She aims to develop into a team leader at Lidl-Trek. Gaia Realini, who was initially expected to lead Lidl-Trek's GC charge, has had a challenging year due to a crash and illness. Fisher-Black is ready to step up and take on the challenge.
The mountain stages of the Tour de France Femmes start from stage 6. Fisher-Black is determined to move back up the GC in these key stages and is confident that she can deliver a strong performance. She is eager to make her mark at the Tour de France Femmes and continue her upward trajectory in the sport of cycling.
[1] Lidl invests in women's cycling team to become super-team
[2] Lidl-Trek aims to become a super-team in women's cycling
[3] Niamh Fisher-Black aims for top-10 finish at Tour de France Femmes
[4] Niamh Fisher-Black: From Junior World Champion to GC Contender
[5] Niamh Fisher-Black: The Kiwi Climber Making Waves in Women's Cycling
[3] "Niamh Fisher-Black, the Kiwi climber, aims for more than just a top-10 finish at the Tour de France Femmes, as she eyes a potential GC contention."
[5] "Led by Niamh Fisher-Black, the rising star of Lidl-Trek, women's cycling is about to witness a new sensation, a new wave."
