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Simac Ladies Tour 2023 stages

• Simac Ladies Tour 2023 route
• Simac Ladies Tour past winners 2023

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SIMAC Ladies Tour Preview

• 1 September 2023
• Latest news , News , Vox News

The SIMAC Ladies Tour is arguably the most prestigious Dutch stage race, and it enjoys its quarter century edition this year. The race comprises a Prologue and five stages, including an individual time trial. Last year’s winner was Lorena Wiebes, then riding for Team DSM, which gives a good indication of the type of rider who you can be expected to perform well, as the parcours is largely flat.

Having said that, this race does include a stage with significant climbs, including some of the iconic bergs featured in the Amstel Gold Race, so while sprinters may contest many of the stages, the GC winner will need to manage a fair bit of climbing, as well as being able to go well against the clock.

The race takes place from Tuesday 5 th to Sunday 10 th September 2023.

Prologue – Tuesday 5 th September – Ede – Ede (2.4km, ITT)

A short ride against the clock will kick off proceedings, and it will be a matter of seconds that will allow the first leader’s jersey of the race to be awarded and put the rest in order heading into the first full stage.

Stage 1 – Wednesday 6 th September – Gennep – Gennep (139.6km, Flat)

The first full road stage of the race centres around the city of Gennep. The course features two loops of a 62.7km circuit, followed by a shorter 16.3km lap heading to the finish line. It’s a pan flat course so almost guaranteed to finish with a bunch sprint.

Stage 2 – Thursday 7 th September – Leuven – Leuven (7.2km, ITT)

Stage 2 sees a second opportunity for riders to go against the clock, this time in a slightly longer time trial. It’s a mostly flat course around Leuven, although there is one bump to overcome after just one kilometre, and it will allow slightly bigger gaps to open between the GC riders, though nothing that cannot be overcome in the later stages of the race.

Stage 3 – Friday 8 th September – Emmeloord – Lelystad (149km, Flat)

Beginning in the town of Emmeloord, the peloton will cross the road bridge over the water to Lelystad, before completing two 60.4km laps of the town. There is barely a hiccup in the road all day, and another completely flat day will of course appeal to the fast women in the bunch, who will likely compete in a bunch gallop for the line.

Stage 4 – Saturday 9 th September – Valkenburg – Valkenburg (131.6km, Hilly)

It’s a day for the Ardennes classics specialists on Stage 4, which takes the peloton around the city of Valkenburg, beginning at Landal castle and ending on the infamous Cauberg. The route travels through South Limberg, and finishes with two laps of a circuit featuring the Cauberg along with the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg. Those who have performed well in the Ardennes Classics will enjoy the opportunity to stretch their legs on some of the region’s most famous bergs.

Stage 5 – Sunday 10 th September – Arnhem – Arnhem (150.5km, Flat)

The longest stage of the race is also the final stage, so differences in the general classification could still be overcome on a day that sees the action begin and end in the Gelderland province of Arnhem in the centre of the Netherlands, via two different circuits. The first of these takes in Emmapiramide and the Posbank, on a loop that’s repeated seven times, before the race heads through Arnhem for five laps of a circuit which features the Zijpendaalseweg and the Apeldoornsweg. It’s likely to be a sprint finish on the Zijpendaalseweg, unless the GC riders are looking to launch a final attack in their search for victory.

Riders to Watch

Annemiek van Vleuten of Movistar closes out her season, and her career, at home with the SIMAC Ladies Tour. It’s likely to be an emotional send-off for the Dutch former World Champion, and Annemiek will be hoping to finish with her held high, so expect her to challenge for the GC win and perhaps some stage wins along the way, where she feels she has the legs.

She will face tough competition as always from the likes of SD Worx, Lidl-Trek, Canyon//SRAM and FDJ SUEZ.

Riders to watch (GC)

5-stars Annemiek van Vleuten

When –  September 2023

Where – The Netherlands

What – 6-day stage race

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Preview: The top women return to the Netherlands for Simac Ladies Tour

Annemiek van Vleuten will race her final race on home soil this week.

Riejanne Markus wins stage 4 of the 2022 Simac Ladies Tour.

The WorldTour peloton returns to the Netherlands and Belgium after four months away for the Simac Ladies Tour. It’s a race that has been won by the likes of Marianne Vos (four times), Annemiek van Vleuten (twice), Ellen van Dijk and Kristen Armstrong. Formerly known as the Holland Ladies Tour, it is a race for the sprinters and the time trial specialists, as you may expect of a six-day event in the flatlands of Northwest Europe.

The 2022 edition was won by Lorena Wiebes after she stormed to victory in the first two stages and just held on in the fifth stage time trial to keep the lead by only ten seconds.

This year’s edition still includes a time trial, this time in Leuven, Belgium, plus a quick prologue to kick off the week of racing. There’s also a really excellent stage in Valkenburg, which includes the Cauberg and a couple of other climbs the peloton will recognize from the Amstel Gold Race. The final stage is basically a kermesse, aka a criterium, in Arnhem, Netherlands.

It’s going to be a week of great racing, and the most notable entry on the start list is Annemiek van Vleuten. The two-time Simac Ladies Tour winner, Olympic gold medalist, and multi-time world champion will wrap up her 17-year career on Sunday in Arnhem. Van Vleuten comes into the race a favourite, after winning the Tour of Scandinavia thanks to a stronger time trial performance than Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig , who she took the jersey from.

The Dutch six-day stage race starts Tuesday, September 5th , with a 2.4 km prologue in Ede before moving on to Gennep for a flattish stage and then hopping over to Leuven in Belgium for a short time trial. From there the race returns to the Netherlands and gets a little more hectic with some less-flat stages finishing in Lelystad and Leuven before the race concludes in Arnhem on Sunday, September 10th.

Live coverage for each stage can be found on GCN+, with the first stage starting at 14:45 CEST. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday viewers can tune in at 14:30 CEST to watch all the action, however, the stage 2 time trial is on a bit earlier at 12:30 CEST.

The Simac Ladies Tour is one of the few stage races that consistently includes a time trial, because of this it almost always attracts the riders who spend time focusing on the discipline. It also usually happens before the World Championships, which allows time trialists to test themselves against their competition before the big day.

This year, with the Worlds over, the race will still play host to the best of the best, with a little bit for everyone except perhaps the climbers. There are a few sprint-friendly stages, some stages that are a bit up in the air as to how they’ll go, and of course, two chances for the peloton to jump on their time trial bikes.

Prologue: Tuesday, September 5 – Ede (2.4 km)

The opening prologue is short at 2.4 km (obviously, it’s a prologue), with some serious twists and turns to keep things interesting. It’s a chance for the riders who have stayed away from the peloton since Worlds to shake their legs out and get back into the swing of racing, but also allows the leader’s jersey to go to a rider who is fast but maybe not a pure sprinter.

Prologues like this are often favoured by riders who split their schedules between road and track since the short effort is similar to what they do in a velodrome.

Riders to watch : Wiebes has that short powerful side that will suit this type of effort, but so does her SD Worx teammate Lotte Kopecky . The Belgian recently won two titles at the track World Championships in the Points Race and the Elimination Race.

Outside of the Dutch super-squad, there are a few names to keep in mind. Elisa Balsamo and Lisa Klein of Lidl-Trek, Charlotte Kool of DSM-Firmenich. The strong Australian track rider Georgia Baker will be eyeing this after some strong performances in Glasgow. Same with the Italian on UAE Team ADQ, Chiara Consonni, and Denmark’s Amalie Dideriksen of Uno-X. Speaking on Uno-X…could Tuesday mark the first WorldTour win for British track legend Elinor Barker ? It’s definitely possible. She won the Madison and was part of the winning Team Pursuit squad in Glasgow and has continued to improve on the road with the help of her teammate Dideriksen.

Stage 1: Wednesday, September 6 – Gennep to Gennep (139.6 km)

The first proper road stage is 139.6 km in length starting and finishing in Gennep and is pretty much flat. There is one climb that the peloton completes twice, but it’s nothing leg-breaking, the most damage it will do is thin the peloton but it won’t be long enough for any teams to shed the sprinters.

The stage is also pretty twisty, so while you can never discount crosswinds in the Netherlands, the road will bend many times, changing the direction of the wind and allowing groups that may have been caught out to come back together.

Riders to watch: Wednesday is for Wiebes , and if not her, Kopecky , but DSM-Firmenich will no doubt throw everything they have at getting Kool to the line first. Another strong sprinting team is Jayco-AlUla with Alexandra Manly . Balsamo ‘s sprint was coming around at the Tour of Scandinavia as well, and Consonni continues to make a name for herself in the sprinting department.

Stage 2 ITT: Thursday, September 7 – Leuven (7.2 km)

The stage 2 time trial is when the general classification favourites will likely start to make moves. It is the first time we will see if Van Vleuten, who claimed she wasn’t going for GC before the race, was telling the truth (she said the same thing before the Tour of Scandinavia). At 7.2 km it is a very short time trial, with two lumps to keep riders on their toes.

Home to the 2021 World Championships, where Balsamo took the rainbow bands ahead of Marianne Vos in a stellar display of Italian teamwork, the peloton will be somewhat familiar with the area in general.

The profile provided by the organizers makes the climbs at the finish and at 2 km look quite dramatic, but they really aren’t that significant. Near the start/finish area, in downtown Leuven, the roads are narrow and a few corners might mean riders need to come out of the aero position.

Riders to watch: Van Vleuten, while not in the same form we’ve seen in previous years, it’s still Van Vleuten. You can never, ever count her out. The Dutchwoman’s top rival in recent years Demi Vollering will make her first appearance (probably) on the podium on Thursday.

Another Dutchwoman to watch is Riejanne Markus for Jumbo-Visma, the ITT Dutch national champion. Her teammate Anna Henderson is also showing great form, after finishing fourth in the ITT at Worlds. Coming off another impressive performance at Worlds is Christina Schweinberger . The Austrian rider impressed in the road race where she finished fifth, but also took the final podium spot in the ITT earlier in the week. And don’t forget about Georgie Howe . The Aussie who came into cycling late has already impressed on the time trial bike, landing herself inside the top ten at her first Worlds.

Stage 3: Friday, September 8 – Emmeloord to Lelystad (149 km)

Once again in the Netherlands, Friday’s 149 km stage from Emmeloord to Lelystad is the flattest of the race (despite the deceptive profile below). It’s definitely one for the sprinters.

It’s likely going to be a traditional cycling stage where we see a doomed break spend a lot of time out front only for the sprinters’ teams to control the pace for their leaders, regardless of who is wearing the leader’s jersey.

Riders to watch: It’s a stage for Wiebes , Balsamo , or Kool . We haven’t gotten to see the three sprint against each other all that often, especially when Balsamo has been in good form, so we’re in for a treat.

Stage 4: Saturday, September 9 – Valkenburg to Valkenburg (131.6 km)

The fourth stage is easily the most challenging stage of the race. At 131.6 km it’s not the longest, but the course is constantly up and down, never leaving a second for recovery. This stage is basically an Ardennes Classic, taking place mostly on the same roads as the Amstel Gold Race and finishing atop the Cauberg, the finishing circuits also include multiple ascents of the Geulhemmerberg and Bemelerberg.

This is probably the stage where we see the most movement on the general classification, especially if it’s only seconds between the top riders. It’s the stage where SD Worx will excel, with both Vollering and Kopecky on their roster, but also the stage with the most opportunity for other riders to give it a go.

Saturday’s stage is going to be a very good, very chaotic stage.

Riders to watch: Vollering , the winner of this year’s Ardennes Classics (all three of them) will be targeting this stage. Vollering’s biggest competition is her teammate Kopecky , who was clearly climbing well at Worlds and the Tour.

Outside of SD Worx, if Van Vleuten is going to win a stage (and hasn’t already won the ITT) it’s this stage.

Then there’s Kasia Niewiadoma , who rode well at the Tour to finish third overall but was unable to test herself in Glasgow due to a viral infection. She’s won the Amstel Gold Race in the past, so she knows the finish well.

Lidl-Trek has some good options for this stage with Shirin van Anrooij , who recently won the inaugural Tour de l’Avenir with a storming ride on the final stage and Lucinda Brand , who is gearing up for cyclocross season.

If DSM-Firmenich is going to hand leadership over to Pfeiffer Georgi on any stage it’s going to be this one. The British national champion is strong on these types of climbs and has a kick.

Stage 5: Sunday, September 10 – Arnhem (150.5 km)

The final stage is like two kermesses back to back. Basically, there are two circuits the peloton does multiple times. They start on a longer 14 km circuit which they will race seven times before heading back to the start/finish for a shorter 8 km circuit they will race five times for a total of 150.5 km, the longest of the week.

It looks like a good stage for a reduced bunch sprint but it really depends on the general classification, if there are only seconds separating the GC it could definitely get interesting. It could be a race like we just saw in France at Classic Lorient Agglomération-Trophée Ceratizit, where the race was so aggressive the winner came from a reduced bunch but it wasn’t who you would have expected .

Riders to watch: Once again… Wiebes . She is climbing so well at the moment, which she showed in Scandinavia and will be hard to shake no matter how many attacks there are.

The Favourites

The theme of the season continues…SD Worx will enter the race with not one, not two, but three favourites, depending on how things play out. They have Wiebes if it’s a sprint/time bonus situation, Kopecky for some solo move, a combo of sprints, even if the ITT make the difference, and Vollering if it comes down to the Valkenburg stage.

Van Vleuten has said she’s not going for GC, but do we believe her? Never. Movistar is not bringing Liane Lippert, which is a shame given how strong she looked this past weekend in France.

Jumbo-Visma might be the second-strongest team on the start with Markus and Henderson. The Dutch team hasn’t really been as strong this year as last, although they’ve had some good performances, with Vos not at her best the team has suffered. But she’s not the only strong rider on the squad. Markus really stepped it up this year, especially in the time trial, so if the race comes down to the third stage she might stand a chance. And don’t forget that Markus won the fourth stage in 2022 with a solo move, in the Dutch national champion jersey. It was quite the sight.

With her strong performances at Worlds, Christina Schweinberger could sneak onto the overall podium. A win would be hard, but she is riding well and it’s all about consistency. Fenix-Deceuninck will no doubt be behind her.

Lidl-Trek and Jayco-AlUla are both lining up with sprint/time trial-heavy teams. The American outfit has Balsamo with her leadout woman Ilaria Sanguineti for the sprints, and Brand and Van Anrooij for everything else. The Australian team has Baker for the time trials and the duo of Manly and Ruby Roseman-Gannon for the sprints.

DSM-Firmenich’s Kool might have a chance at an overall podium if she can pick up some seconds. She is really the only one challenging Wiebes when it comes to fast finishes. Her British teammate Pfeiffer Georgi could also come into the mix but that really depends on how the race plays out. It would need to be clear that Kool won’t factor in the sprint for DSM-Firmenich to change leadership roles.

For maybe the first time since their creation Uno-X could be looking at a possible WWT GC podium finish with Barker . The British track cyclist is flying and has veteran professional Dideriksen to guide her through the week. All Barker has to do is send it in the stage 2 time trial and hold on for the rest of the race.

Escape Collective star ratings

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Demi Vollering, Annemiek van Vleuten ⭐️⭐️⭐️: Riejanne Markus, Shirin van Anrooij ⭐️⭐️: Kasia Niewiadoma, Lucinda Brand, Charlotte Kool ⭐️: Anna Henderson, Elisa Balsamo, Pfeiffer Georgi, Elinor Barker, Alexandra Manly

Conversations with the Wheel Talk Podcast

Abby Mickey: I don’t want to spoil anything, but you think, or maybe you hope, that Annemiek will win this race, the last of her career?

Matt de Neef: I think I hope that she will. It would be a nice ending for her career, to win her final stage race on home soil. She isn’t going for GC apparently, but she said that before Scandinavia as well. While the course probably suits Liane Lippert better, I can’t imagine Van Vleuten not giving her all in her final stage race so she will be up there in some capacity I’m sure, and there will be a kind of satisfaction to seeing her win.

AM: So am I right in saying that you don’t think that this is a race for the sprinters?

MdN: I think some of the sprinters will do just fine, I think SD Worx with Wiebes and Kopecky will be just fine. They’ll probably win the race, realistically, but it depends on how it’s raced on those last two stages. The first four are two sprint stages and then a couple of short-time trials. The last few stages are where all the climbing happens. Maybe the climbs won’t be long enough for the climby riders to excel but, I don’t know, it depends on how it is raced I suppose.

AM: I’m curious how much impact the time trial is going to have. Because 7 km is really not very long to take time. But I don’t see the final two stages, especially the Valkenburg stage, being selective enough to make a massive dent in the general classification.

MdN: Yeah, it does finish with the Cauberg, right? So we could see decent gaps there. Not minutes, obviously, but with the time trials being short, I think we could well see time gaps on the Cauberg that are big enough to change the GC, but I think the bigger question for me is whether anyone’s able to put enough time into someone like Wiebes or Kopecky because if they rock up in good form they are the favourites for sure.

AM: I do think the way Wiebes was climbing in Scandinavia should have everyone a little worried because the time trials aren’t long enough for her to lose significant time. Especially the prologue. She’s a favourite to win, in my eyes.

MdN: Ya it’s so short, only 2.4 km? Do we know if Kopecky is racing? Is that confirmed yet?

AM: I am pretty sure. It would be her first professional race since winning Worlds. She’s on the provisional start list, and the race starts tomorrow, so I hope it’s correct.

I also wonder, there are a lot of track riders that are showing up to this race that I think will be eyeing that prologue and thinking they might be able to take their first WorldTour victory, like Georgia Baker, for example, or Elinor Barker, who just had an incredible week in Glasgow. So that first stage I feel like it’s short, but it’s super important for the race overall.

MdN: Yeah, I agree with that. I don’t think it’s going to affect the final GC but definitely like you say, it’s an opportunity for someone to take a big win. Alex Manly could see a possible opportunity there for Jayco-AlUla. These short prologues are always fascinating because they are suited to those track endurance riders.

AM: I feel like this race is coming at such a great time for them, as well, having just done Worlds and peaking for Worlds. Usually, track Worlds are at a completely different time of the year. So at this point, the track riders are in a completely different form. Right now it’s this weird combination of track riders being in perfect form and the road season kind of reaching its end. While I do see SD Worx kind of as the favourites for this race, I also think that there are a handful of riders on the start list that are going to make the race a lot harder for them than perhaps the Spring Classics.

MdN: That sounds good, sounds like a great spectacle.

AM: Wishful thinking perhaps.

MdN: The more teams throwing it to SD Worx the better, really. But if Kopecky shows up in good form, then she’s going to be pretty hard to beat. That stage 4 Valkenburg stage, like a mini-Amstel Gold Race, kind of suits her pretty well if she’s in good form. If she can win there that could well lead to an overall victory.

AM: I think the big question with Kopecky is can she hold her form all the way through the Tour de France Femmes, which at this point, it was over a month ago, through Worlds and continue to hold it on into September? Because at that point, it’s getting a little ridiculous.

MdN: Yeah, there’s an issue of motivation as well. Will they be as motivated to perform at their absolute best as they have been? Probably, yes. But I don’t know how much left they have to prove.

AM: No, and I mean, I think I’m still wondering how many riders in that team are feeling the same way as Marlen Reusser without saying it out loud.

MdN: Yeah, for sure. As we’ve talked about a lot of times it was kind of heartening to see that very human moment from Reusser at Worlds, and hopefully others aren’t feeling the same amount of overwhelming pressure as she was.

AM: Yep. Alright. Picks!!

Wheel Talk Podcast picks

Loren Rowney: Lotte Kopecky

Matt de Neef: Annemiek van Vleuten for a fairytale last GC win

Gracie Elvin: Shirin van Anrooij

Abby Mickey: Lorena Wiebes

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2023 Simac Ladies Tour escapecollective Simac Ladies Tour women's cycling

Simac Ladies Tour

Participants list.

• Aude Biannic
• Alicia González
• Lourdes Oyarbide
• Jelena Erić
• Annemiek van Vleuten
• Arlenis Sierra
• Floortje Mackaij

Stages will be broadcast on the Eurosport App and GCN .

Except for the Leuven TT, which will end at around 2pm, all stages will finish around 4pm.

There will be bonuses only at the finish of road stages, 10-6-4″ .

Social Media

The organisers’ official Instagram account is @simacladiestour_official .

• 01 Charlotte Kool Team dsm-firmenich 3'04"
• 02 Riejanne Markus Jumbo – Visma +4"
• 03 Lotte Kopecky SD Worx "
• 12 Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar Team +9"
• 17 Arlenis Sierra Movistar Team +10"
• 34 Floortje Mackaij Movistar Team +14"
• 59 Lourdes Oyarbide Movistar Team +20"
• 71 Aude Biannic Movistar Team +21"
• 75 Jelena Erić Movistar Team +22"
• 88 Alicia González Movistar Team +24"
• 01 Elisa Balsamo Lidl-Trek 3h28'45"
• 02 Lorena Wiebes SD Worx "
• 03 Charlotte Kool Team dsm-firmenich "
• 04 Arlenis Sierra Movistar Team "
• 17 Jelena Erić Movistar Team "
• 25 Floortje Mackaij Movistar Team "
• 30 Alicia González Movistar Team "
• 43 Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar Team "
• 78 Lourdes Oyarbide Movistar Team "
• 96 Aude Biannic Movistar Team "
• 01 Lotte Kopecky SD Worx 8'59"
• 02 Riejanne Markus Jumbo – Visma +2"
• 03 Zoe Bäckstedt Canyon-SRAM +11"
• 24 Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar Team +29"
• 31 Arlenis Sierra Movistar Team +33"
• 50 Aude Biannic Movistar Team +45"
• 55 Lourdes Oyarbide Movistar Team +48"
• 65 Floortje Mackaij Movistar Team +52"
• 74 Jelena Erić Movistar Team +58"
• 92 Alicia González Movistar Team +1'09"
• 01 Charlotte Kool Team dsm-firmenich 3h38'02"
• 03 Elisa Balsamo Lidl-Trek "
• 07 Arlenis Sierra Movistar Team "
• 24 Jelena Erić Movistar Team "
• 37 Floortje Mackaij Movistar Team "
• 38 Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar Team "
• 76 Alicia González Movistar Team "
• 79 Lourdes Oyarbide Movistar Team "
• 86 Aude Biannic Movistar Team "
• 01 Lotte Kopexky SD Worx 3h24'17"
• 03 Kasia Niewiadoma Canyon-SRAM "
• 07 Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar Team +13"
• 13 Floortje Mackaij Movistar Team +29"
• 25 Arlenis Sierra Movistar Team +2'18"
• 31 Aude Biannic Movistar Team +2'37"
• 45 Alicia González Movistar Team +10'23"
• 67 Lourdes Oyarbide Movistar Team +15'56"
• 01 Lorena Wiebes SD Worx 3h44'53"
• 02 Elisa Balsamo Lidl-Trek "
• 14 Aude Biannic Movistar Team +3"
• 16 Floortje Mackaij Movistar Team "
• 54 Jelena Erić Movistar Team +5'16"
• 59 Arlenis Sierra Movistar Team "
• 62 Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar Team +5'31"
• —  Alicia González Movistar Team DNF
• —  Lourdes Oyarbide Movistar Team DNF

It is the end of the road for a legendary sportswoman. Annemiek van Vleuten retires from road cycling by taking part in her home country’s national stagerace, the Simac Ladies Tour, which has taken multiple steps to make the ‘Campionissima’ from the Movistar Team feel comfortable and loved into her final event.

There will be two time trials , both really short: the inaugural one, a 2.4km prologue in Ede, few minutes away from Miek’s house (Tuesday 5th); and stage two, also a short one at 7.1km, in no less than Leuven, Belgium (Thursday 7th).

We should get two bunch sprints, in Gennep (Wednesday 6th) and Lelystad (Friday 8th), while the weekend’s hills should be key: a stage in Valkenburg around the   Cauberg on Saturday 9th will be followed by the emotional showdown in Arnhem on Sunday 10th, over Annemiek’s usual training roads next to her mother’s house in the Posbank area.

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Lotte Kopecky staat aan de start van de Simac Ladies tour in Leuven

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NCAA Women's Tournament bracket 2024: Printable bracket, dates, games, matchups for March Madness

The first round has already brought a big upset and plenty of thrills.

The NCAA Women's Tournament is off and running. The first round did not provide a ton of drama, but the rest of the tournament should be filled with it. 

That proved to be the case on Sunday with the first top seed going down in the form of No. 2 seed Ohio State. The Buckeyes surrendered a big lead to No. 7 seed Duke as the Blue Devils managed to make the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018. Plus, No. 2 seed Stanford and No. 7 seed Iowa State played the game of the tournament so far as the two teams went shot for shot down the stretch before the Cardinal were able to come out on top in overtime. 

Eight more teams will look to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16 on Monday as the tournament begins to reach its apex.

Below you will find a viewable/printable 2024 NCAA Women's Tournament bracket. Thanks for stopping by, but don't forget to continue to checking in throughout the next three weeks. CBS Sports will offer complete coverage of the events with the latest news, results and breakdowns of the biggest matchups.

March Madness® is better with friends, especially when you beat them!  Get your bracket pools ready now  and invite your friends, family and co-workers to play.

As usual, we'll have a variety of methods in which you can view the bracket on the device of your choice. And you absolutely want to make sure you join our Bracket Games where you can compete against the public or create a bracket group to battle your family, friends and/or co-workers.

Click here to enlarge and print the blank 2024 NCAA Women's Tournament bracket.

So what's the optimal NCAA Tournament bracket 2024? And which March Madness underdogs will shock women's college basketball?  Visit SportsLine now to see which teams you can back with confidence , all from the proven experts who are up nearly 400 units on their women's college basketball picks. 

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Transgender female darts player wins women's event, sparks fury

Martina navratilova was among those who spoke out.

Fox News Flash top sports headlines for March 24

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Transgender darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven won titles against men and women in the same week and immediately came under fire for being allowed to compete against female opponents.

Van Leuven won a women’s event in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) on Saturday, topping Beau Graves and Katie Sheldon. The win came more than a week after van Leuven won a mixed competition over John Henderson, Cam Crabtree and Tytus Kanik.

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A general view of a dart board featuring the PDC logo during the final on day three of the Ladbrokes Masters 2021 tournament at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes. (Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images)

Van Leuven told The Guardian last year that the transition began at the age of 16, and as van Leuven started to move into women’s competitive darts, the backlash began.

"I was getting more and more unhappy with myself, to a point that I didn’t want to live any more," van Leuven told the outlet. "And that was the moment where I thought: I can go two sides now. I can end it, or I can live as who I want to live."

VIEW THE MOMENT ON X

PDC chief executive Matt Porter told The Guardian last year that van Leuven complies with the organization’s transgender participation policy. The PDC follows the Darts Regulation Authority’s policy, which is governed by the International Olympic Committee.

RILEY GAINES ON NCAA LAWSUIT: 'IT IS TIME THAT WE FIGHT BACK'

General view of a PDC sign during day two of the William Hill World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London on Thursday Dec. 16, 2021. (Kieran Cleeves/PA Images via Getty Images)

The IOC’s darts policy requires transgender female competitors to have a testosterone level below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months and that gender identity cannot be changed for at least four years. The transgender female may not have a "presumption of advantage" and the IOC advises sports to "disproportionate advantage, which needs therefore to be mitigated."

Van Leuven’s participation and eventual victory in the sports world caused a bit of controversy, including on the Dutch national team . Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf both stepped aside from the team.

"That moment when you’re embarrassed to come out for the Dutch team, because a biological man is playing on the women’s team, it’s time to go," de Graaf wrote on Facebook, via The Sun.

"I have tried to accept this but I can’t approve or validate this. I think that in sports there should be an equal and fair playing field. I hope with all my heart and for all women in sports that people come to their senses."

Tennis icon Martina Navratilova also spoke out against van Leuven.

Martina Navratilova, a Czech-American former professional tennis player, speaks during a joint press conference with Chris Evert of the USA on Day 5 of the GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun 2023 as part of the Hologic WTA Tour, on Nov. 2, 2023, in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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"Again- women get the short end of the stick either way. And it stinks," she wrote on X.

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Outrage as Dutch transgender darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven wins PDC Women's Series event in Wigan - prompting two of her female team mates to resign and tennis ace Martina Navratilova to say women have 'short end of the stick'

• Noa-Lynn van Leuven triumphed in event two of the PDC Women's Series

Transgender darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven has sparked outrage after winning the PDC Women's Series - prompting two of her female team mates to resign and tennis ace Martina Navratilova to say women have the 'short end of the stick'. 

At event two of the PDC Women's Series 2024 in Wigan, the 27-year-old defeated World No 1 Beau Greaves in the quarter-finals before besting Fallon Sherrock in the semis 5-3.

Facing off against Ireland's Katie Sheldon in the final van Leuven triumphed 5-2 to claim £2,000 in prize money.

The victory comes just a week after she made history by becoming the first trans woman to win a PDC Tour event  on the Challenge Tour in Hildesheim, Germany .

Outraged by the win, 18-time Grand Slam tennis champion Martina Navratilova said: 'No male bodies in women's sports please - not even in darts.' 

Posting on social media platform X, Martina added: 'Again - women get the short end of the stick. And it stinks.' 

Meanwhile, two of Van Leuven's Dutch compatriots have left their national team in protest following Saturday's win. 

Anca Zijlstra revealed she was stepping away 'with pain in my heart' - before world number two Aileen de Graaf quit hours later in vowing to no longer represent the Netherlands. 

Zijlstra, 50, wrote on Facebook: 'That moment when you're embarrassed to come out for the Dutch team, because a biological man is playing on the women's team, it's time to go.

'I have tried to accept this but I can't approve or validate this.

'I think that in sports there should be an equal and fair playing field. I hope with all my heart and for all women in sports that people come to their senses.'

De Graaf, 33, said: 'If someone doesn't feel good in the body they were born in, I encourage everyone to change that and be happy. I just don't think it's right for a biological man to throw for the women or vice-versa. It's either mixed or not.' 

Facing both male and female competition, van Leuven beat seven other competitors on the way to the final before starring in the event's showpiece and clinching victory.

Van Leuven claimed £2,500 in prize money and further ranking points that move her up to seventh place on the PDC Challenge Tour Order of Merit.

She previously made history as the first trans woman to appear in a televised PDC event in last year's Women's World Matchplay.

After joining the Women's Series in 2022 the Dutch player explained that she might not be alive today if had she not transitioned the previous year.

'I think if I didn't have the transition, I wouldn't be here anymore,' she told the PA news agency. 'The last two years before I transitioned were terrible for me, I was depressed, I wasn't having fun in life.

'I didn't have anything to live for, I wasn't in a good space. Then I realised I am trans, I should do something with that or I am not going to make anything out of my life.

'Now I am happy again and I have so much to live for. I really love darts, I love playing it, I love meeting new people and travelling and that is all possible because of darts.'

However, van Leuven's inclusion on the Women's Series has proven contentious among some of her contemporaries with Deta Hedman calling for transgender women to be banned from playing in ranked women's tournaments.

Dutch darts players quit national women's team over transgender teammate

Darts players Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf have announced their departure from the Dutch women's darts team because they refuse to team up with trans woman Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

Zijlstra announced she was quitting the team in a post on Facebook.

"The moment you're embarrassed to be a part of the Dutch Team, because a biological man is playing in the women's team, it's time to go," she wrote.

"I have tried to accept this, but I can not condone or justify this.

"I think that with sports there has to be an equal and level playing field which is to be used and accepted in good faith. After all, we have worked so hard to be relevant and competitive in this sport." 

De Graaf, who was also on the Dutch national team, commented on the post, announcing her departure too.

"At some point you have to make decisions if something goes against your feelings," she wrote.

"You have to do what feels right for you. Hence my decision to also leave the Dutch team."

Van Leuven told Dutch national broadcaster NOS  the controversy had taken an emotional toll.

"This was their decision and not mine. The only sad thing about this issue is that a lot of people forget that I am also just a human," she said.

League chief says transgender player complies with policies 

Van Leuven prevailed at the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) Women's Series on Saturday, about a week after beating male competitors in a mixed event. 

When asked in an interview earlier this year about transgender players in darts, PDC chief executive Matt Porter said there was a trans- and gender diversity policy in place "... which Noa-Lynn complies with, easily, and has done for a long time".

"She's more than deserving of her place in the women's world match play," he said.

The Dutch Darts Federation's regulations state that trans women are eligible to play in the women's category if they submit a statement from a doctor confirming they have been undergoing gender-affirming treatment for at least one year.

It also states the player needs a government-issued ID showing their gender and that the player's gender identity cannot be changed for at least four years.

"I have a letter from the VU University Medical Centre which states that my testosterone level has been under a certain level for the past 12 months," Van Leuven said in an interview last year.

Darts a 'level playing field'

Former PDC chairman told  The Darts Show Podcast in 2019 that gender was irrelevant in darts.

"The great thing about darts is that it's gender free, it's gender neutral," he said.

"It's a level playing field. If you're a good enough player, it doesn't matter if you're a woman or a man.

"It doesn't matter if you're fat or thin.

"Just show me that you can produce big averages and that you can win matches and take out doubles when you're under pressure. That's the end of the game." 

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Two Female Darts Players Quit Dutch Team After Male Wins Men's And Women's Pro Events In Same Week

Noa-Lynn van Leuven, a trans-identifying male, won both a men’s and women’s professional darts title last week. Now, two female Dutch players have had enough.

Van Leuven took home the title at the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) Challenge Tour 6 on March 15 — collecting more than $3,000 in prize money. Then, he won the PDC Women's Series title in Wigan on Saturday — putting another $2,500 in the bank.

Following that event, two darts players (and Van Leuven's teammates) — Aileen de Graaf and Anca Zijlstra — quit the Dutch Women’s Team in protest.

Zijlstra issued a statement on her Facebook page .

"With pain in my heart… The moment I am ashamed to play for the Dutch Team, because a biological man plays for the women’s team, it is time to go," she wrote. "I have tried to accept this but I cannot condone this. I believe that in sports there should be an equal and fair playing field, which should be used and accepted in good faith. After all, we have worked so hard to be relevant and competitive in this sport."

RELATED: Riley Gaines Pays Prize Money After Woman Refused To Compete Against Trans Billiards Player In Tourney Final

Zijlstra also announced she would resign from the Nederlandse Darts Bond (NBD), the governing body for the sport in the Netherlands, for its role in allowing males to self-identify into women’s categories.

"I have always considered it an honor to represent our country, and I will always be open to returning to the National Team. I hope with all my heart and for all women in sports that people come to their senses. This decision was not easy and was very difficult. 1991 is the first time that I proudly put on the shirt for the Netherlands."

With the resignation of Zijlstra and de Graaf, the Dutch Women’s Team now consists only of Van Leuven and three other players.

Current World Darts policy requires that transgender players must have a testosterone level below 10 nmo/L for at least 12 months. That's still four times the upper limit for testosterone in biological females.

🏆 Men's Tournament

❓ 16 questions for the Sweet 16

Houston's INSANE OT win over Texas A&M

👀 Tracking conference records

Check your bracket

Official Bracket

Ncaa.com | march 25, 2024, latest bracket, schedule and scores for 2024 ncaa men's tournament.

Here is the 2024 NCAA tournament bracket for March Madness and the DI men's basketball championship. The Sweet 16 kicks off Thursday, March 28.

Take a look at the complete, updated bracket below:

NCAA bracket 2024: Printable March Madness bracket

Click or tap here to open it as a .JPG   | Click or tap here for the interactive bracket  | PDF link

Here is the schedule for this year's tournament.

• Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 17
• First Four: March 19-20
• First round: March 21-22
• Second round: March 23-24 
• Sweet 16: March 28-29 
• Elite Eight: March 30-31 
• Final Four: Saturday, April 6
• NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8

Here is the game-by-game schedule:

2024 NCAA tournament schedule, scores, highlights

Thursday, March 28 (Sweet 16)

• (2) Arizona vs. (6) Clemson | 7:09 p.m. | CBS
• (1) UConn vs. (5) San Diego State | 7:39 p.m. | TBS/truTV
• (1) North Carolina vs. (4) Alabama | 9:39 p.m. | CBS
• (2) Iowa State vs. (3) Illinois | 10:09 p.m. | TBS/truTV

Friday, March 29 (Sweet 16)

• (2) Marquette vs. (11) NC State | 7:09 p.m. | CBS
• (1) Purdue vs. (5) Gonzaga | 7:39 p.m. |TBS/truTV
• (1) Houston vs. (4) Duke | 9:39 p.m. | CBS 
• (2) Tennessee vs. (3) Creighton | 10:09 p.m. |TBS/truTV

Saturday, March 30 (Elite Eight)

• TBD vs. TBD

Sunday, March 31 (Elite Eight)

Saturday, April 6 (Final Four)

Monday, April 8 (National championship game)

• TBD vs. TBD | 9:20 p.m.

Tuesday, March 19 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

• (16) Wagner 71 , (16) Howard 68
• (10) Colorado State 67 , (10) Virginia 42

Wednesday, March 20 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

• (16) Grambling 88 , (16) Montana State 81
• (10) Colorado 60 , (10) Boise State 53

Thursday, March 21 (Round of 64)

• (9) Michigan State 66 , (8) Mississippi State 51
• (11) Duquesne 71 , (6) BYU 67
• (3) Creighton 77 , (14) Akron 60
• (2) Arizona 85 , (15) Long Beach State 65
• (1) North Carolina 90 , (16) Wagner 61
• (3) Illinois 85 , (14) Morehead State 69
• (11) Oregon 87 , (6) South Carolina 73
• (7) Dayton 63 , (10) Nevada 60
• (7) Texas 56 , (10) Colorado State 44
• (14) Oakland 80 , (3) Kentucky 76
• (5) Gonzaga 86 , (12) McNeese 65
• (2) Iowa State 82 , (15) South Dakota State 65
• (2) Tennessee 83 ,   (15) Saint Peter's 49
• (7) Washington State 66 , (10) Drake 61
• ( 11) NC State 80 , (6) Texas Tech 67
• (4) Kansas 93 , (13) Samford 89

Friday, March 22 (Round of 64)

• (3) Baylor 92 ,   (14) Colgate 67
• (9) Northwestern 77 , (8) Florida Atlantic 65  (OT)
• (5) San Diego State 69 , (12) UAB 65
• (2) Marquette 87 ,   (15) Western Kentucky 69
• (1) UConn 91 , (16) Stetson 52
• (6) Clemson 77 , (11) New Mexico 56
• (10) Colorado 102 , (7) Florida 100   
• (13) Yale 78 , (4) Auburn 76 
• (9) Texas A&M 98 , (8) Nebraska 83
• (4) Duke 64 , (13) Vermont 47
• (1) Purdue 78 , (16) Grambling 50
• (4) Alabama 109 , (13) College of Charleston 96
• (1) Houston 86 , (16) Longwood 46
• (12) James Madison 72 , (5) Wisconsin 61
• (8) Utah State 88 , (9) TCU 72 
• (12) Grand Canyon 77 , (5) Saint Mary's 66

Saturday, March 23 (Round of 32)

• (2) Arizona 78,  (7) Dayton 68
• (5) Gonzaga 89 , (4) Kansas 68
• (1) North Carolina 85 , (9) Michigan State 69
• (2) Iowa State 67 , (7) Washington State 56
• (11) NC State 79 , (14) Oakland 73
• (2) Tennessee 62 , (7) Texas 58
• (3) Illinois 89 , (11) Duquesne 63 
• (3) Creighton 86 , (11) Oregon 73 (2OT)

Sunday, March 24 (Round of 32)

• (2) Marquette 81,  (10) Colorado 77
• (1) Purdue 106,  (8) Utah State 67
• (4) Duke 93 , (12) James Madison 55 
• (6) Clemson 72 , (3) Baylor 64
• (4) Alabama 72 , (12) Grand Canyon 61
• (1) UConn 75 , (9) Northwestern 58
• (1) Houston 100 , (9) Texas A&M 95 (OT)
• (5) San Diego State 85 , (13) Yale 57 

Here's the complete seed list:

These are the sites for the men's tournament in 2024:

March Madness

• 🗓️ 2024 March Madness schedule, dates
• 👀 Everything to know about March Madness
• ❓ How the field of 68 is picked
• 📓 College basketball dictionary: 51 terms defined

Greatest buzzer beaters in March Madness history

Relive Laettner's historic performance against Kentucky

The deepest game-winning buzzer beaters in March Madness history

College basketball's NET rankings, explained

What March Madness looked like the year you were born

Di men's basketball news.

• 34 intriguing numbers about this year’s Sweet 16 teams
• NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship concludes first week with strong ratings, attendance and scoring marks
• 16 questions to ask with the Sweet 16 NCAA tournament field set
• Tracking 2024 March Madness men's records by conference
• 2024 NIT bracket: Schedule, TV channels for the men’s tournament
• CBS Sports and TNT Sports Announce Tip Times and Commentator Teams for Regional Semifinals on Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29
• Men's college basketball career scoring leaders
• 2024 March Madness: Men's NCAA tournament schedule, dates
• Latest bracket, schedule and scores for 2024 NCAA men's tournament
• The fine margins of March Madness' thrilling opening round

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