Went to the Montecatini stage yesterday and it was really neat to watch a women's pro race. I've never experienced one in person before, so it was quite eye-opening to see just how casual the finish was compared to that of a men's pro race.
I was hanging out by the finish, and when each woman crossed the line, they went and sat down on the sidewalk, propped their bikes up against a railing, and had their soigneurs wipe down their arms with baby wipes while they talked strategy for the next stage.
You could literally just walk up to them and start talking or taking pictures. No big crowds of people pushing to get a glance at the riders.
I took a pic of Marianne Vos finishing, as well as Evelyn Stevens.
After walking around for a bit and looking at bikes and riders, I was surprised to see just how small these women are. I guess I'd never realized just how tiny they were on TV or in pictures online. If only I were half a foot shorter, then I'd surely be a pro...
