The womens road race is this Sunday and promises a duel between Belgium and the Netherlands but plenty of other riders will fancy their chances, especially after Anna Kiesenhofers surprise win the last time.The Course157km and 1,700m of vertical gain. Its out to Versailles but before the famous palace, a left turn and straight to the Chevreuse valley to pick up much of the same course as the men but skipping the climbs of Senlisse and Herbouvilliers on the run back to Paris.Then its three laps of the by-now familiar 18km Paris circuit with the Butte Montmartre as the obvious climb with the narrow road and cobbles but the other boulevard ramps and drags along the way.The Finish: after the third time up the Montmartre climb a left turn and then back down past the Louvre to the banks of the Seine and a run alongside the river to the Eiffel tower where theres the right turn for the finish on the Pont dIena by the Trocadro.Embed from Getty ImagesThe ContendersHaving picked the world champion for the mens race, Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) is the obvious pick here too because the course suits. Shell be much more wary of a sprint from a group given the rivalry and having written up a duel above between Belgium and the Netherlands its Kopecky vs. the Dutch which makes it much harder for here. The sprint scenario winner is Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands) but being there for the final right turn is a tough ask. Team mate Demi Vollering is their card to play on the climbs and theres also Marianne Vos too.The Italian team can play similar tactics with Elisa Longo Borghini for the attacks and Elisa Balsamo in condition for the sprint.Home hopes find in-form Juliette Labous (France) but shed want more climbing and if the team can play the sprint card with Victoire Berteau theyd surely sign now for a bronze given the competition. Australias Grace Brown stormed the time trial and she can and does win road races too so has to be a contender with Ruby Roseman-Gannon able to play off this too.Denmark have similar options with Emma Norsgaard for a sprint and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig for an attack but form this season makes then a harder pick. The British team can cover and make more moves with TT medalist Anna Henderson , Lizzie Deignan and Pfeiffer Georgi. Arlenis Sierra (Cuba) is an outside chance for the sprint. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland) is a rare winner but can hope to pick her moment so can Alison Jackson (Canada).Lotte KopeckyVollering, Longo Borghini, Vos, WiebesBrown, Balsamo, GeorgiWeather: cloudy and 24C.TV: KM0 is at 2.10pm CEST and the finish is forecast for 6.00pm. The race returns to Paris around 4.30pm.The post Womens Olympic Road Race Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.