Annemiek van Vleuten – Demi Vollering is the primary favorite at Tour de France Femmes
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Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) is keenly conscious that she and compatriot Demi Vollering (SD Worx) have been positioned towards each other as the 2 overwhelming favourites at this 12 months’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Talking with the media on the Maison des Sports activities – Place des Bughes on Saturday in Clermont-Ferrand, Van Vleuten, who strains up because the defending champion, confused that she hoped the race for the yellow jersey will play out between extra than simply two riders on the roads to Pau.
“I hope that now we have extra riders going for the GC with a much bigger battle than Demi Vollering and me, we’d like extra nationalities combating one another within the finals to maintain the races extra attention-grabbing,” Van Vleuten mentioned.
“I hope will probably be a mistake, to date, in the event you see by way of the spring and on the uphill, possibly it is real looking to say that will probably be a duel and folks like to see it. However typically, we underestimate, a bit, the opposite opponents. I hope there will probably be extra opponents that make our lives actually laborious and that we see a battle on the Tourmalet.”
Van Vleuten named a number of riders who she felt is also contenders for the general classification, together with Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek), Marta Cavalli (FDJ-SUEZ) and time trial specialist Marlen Reusser (SD Worx).
“In case you are not on staff Demi Vollering and never on staff Annemiek, then for certain, you’ll make a plan for the primary six phases to disturb that battle between Demi and me, so I count on some fireworks, and that’s additionally what makes the racing good.”
Van Vleuten received the general title final 12 months by a 3:48 over Vollering final 12 months however revealed that she felt Vollering was the stronger of the 2, given her success on the Ardennes Classics and within the excessive mountains at La Vuelta Femenina, the place she received stage 7 atop Lagos de Covadonga.
She mentioned that she is not as assured going into the Tour de France Femmes as she was final 12 months.
“No, for certain not, particularly as a result of Demi Vollering confirmed this 12 months that she is the primary favorite, I feel. She is at an excellent sturdy stage, and I used to be not capable of beat her [on the climbs at La Vuelta]. In the long run, I did win La Vuelta, but it surely was additionally a particular state of affairs, and on the uphills, she confirmed that she was stronger,” Van Vleuten mentioned.
“I feel she is the favorite. I do know that I had the identical preparations as final 12 months and that I am at the very least higher than I used to be at La Vuelta. I recharged my batteries, and I am prepared for the battle. I am curious, however I do know that I did every little thing I may to be in my absolute best form.”
Van Vleuten understands why the game is so captivated by race rivalries citing Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert in cyclocross and the Spring Classics. Different current and memorable rivalries have occurred between Lucinda Model and Marianne Vos locked in a battle for the rainbow jersey at Cyclocross Worlds in 2022. And look no additional than the battle between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar at this 12 months’s males’s Tour de France, till the Vingegaard all however sealed the yellow jersey within the stage 16 time trial from Passy to Combloux.
“I feel individuals like to see a duel, whether or not it is Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, it is what the media like to see. I like seeing a much bigger battle with extra individuals. I feel it is extra attention-grabbing,” Van Vleuten countered.
“But when I can entertain lots of people by having a duel between the 2 of us, so be it, an important factor is that I’m within the combat for the yellow jersey. Whoever is becoming a member of me in that combat, I’ll see.”
Defending yellow
Van Vleuten lived as much as each expectation because the favorite for the 2022 Tour de France Femmes, profitable the general title after two outstanding back-to-back phases within the Vosges atop Le Markstein and La Tremendous Planche des Belles Filles.
The primary six phases of this 12 months’s route are hilly earlier than reaching the summit end at Col du Tourmalet on stage 7 and a person time trial on stage 8. These two phases will, as soon as once more, be well-suited to the defending champion in her aim to win a second consecutive general title.
“The aim earlier than we got here right here was to get one of the best out of myself so be optimally ready, and I achieved that aim. I am right here in the identical form as final 12 months, identical preparations, identical vitality and with recharged batteries to go full-gas right here for the battle for the yellow jersey,” mentioned Van Vleuten, who arrives after securing general victories at La Vuelta Femenina and Giro d’Italia Donne.
Van Vleuten mentioned she’s not involved an excessive amount of with how a lot a second general victory may imply to her. As a substitute, she is wanting ahead to having fun with the chance to compete in what will probably be her ultimate Tour de France earlier than retiring on the finish of the season.
“You will need to pin on the primary in my rainbow jersey and luxuriate in racing and be a part of the battle to win the maillot jaune. I will go for it, to be a part of the combat, and we need to placed on a very good present for people who find themselves watching it at residence or along side the highway to get excited.”
Van Vleuten mentioned that profitable the Tour de France Femmes has been a spotlight of her profession that has seen her win Spring Classics, Grand Excursions, World Championships and a gold medal on the Olympic Video games.
“I like this race. I can say that it was the most important factor that I received in my profession final 12 months. I’d have been right here with a distinct mindset if I had not received it final 12 months as a result of I’d know it’s the final, final, final alternative for me to win the Tour de France. There may be much less strain on my shoulders now, which signifies that I can get pleasure from it a bit extra and race with my coronary heart,” Van Vleuten mentioned.
Requested how she feels heading into her ultimate Tour de France Femmes, Van Vleuten mentioned, “I really feel relaxed, targeted and wanting to race with a sense of nothing to lose and every little thing to win.”
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