Annemiek van Vleuten is keenly conscious that she and compatriot Demi Vollering 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 traces up because the defending champion, harassed 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 we have now 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 fascinating,” Van Vleuten stated.
“I hope it is going to be a mistake, to this point, in the event you see by means of the spring and on the uphill, perhaps it is practical to say that it is going to be a duel and other people like to see it. However generally, we underestimate, a bit, the opposite opponents. I hope there can be extra opponents that make our lives actually arduous and that we see a battle on the Tourmalet.”
Van Vleuten named a number of riders who she felt may be 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 workforce Demi Vollering and never on workforce Annemiek, then for certain, you’re going to make a plan for the primary six levels 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 gained 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 gained stage 7 atop Lagos de Covadonga.
She stated 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 robust stage, and I used to be not in a position to beat her [on the climbs at La Vuelta]. Ultimately, I did win La Vuelta, but it surely was additionally a particular scenario, and on the uphills, she confirmed that she was stronger,” Van Vleuten stated.
“I feel she is the favorite. I do know that I had the identical preparations as final 12 months and that I am not less than 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 part 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 latest 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 really like seeing a much bigger battle with extra individuals. I feel it is extra fascinating,” 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 battle for the yellow jersey. Whoever is becoming a member of me in that battle, 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 exceptional back-to-back levels within the Vosges atop Le Markstein and La Tremendous Planche des Belles Filles.
The primary six levels 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 levels will, as soon as once more, be well-suited to the defending champion in her objective to win a second consecutive general title.
“The objective 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 objective. 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,” stated Van Vleuten, who arrives after securing general victories at La Vuelta Femenina and Giro d’Italia Donne.
Van Vleuten stated she’s not involved an excessive amount of with how a lot a second general victory would possibly imply to her. As a substitute, she is trying ahead to having fun with the chance to compete in what can be her ultimate Tour de France earlier than retiring on the finish of the season.
“It is very important pin on the primary in my rainbow jersey and revel in racing and be a part of the battle to win the maillot jaune. I’ll go for it, to be a part of the battle, and we wish to placed on an excellent present for people who find themselves watching it at residence or in conjunction with the street to get excited.”
Van Vleuten stated 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 really like this race. I can say that it was the largest factor that I gained in my profession final 12 months. I’d have been right here with a special mindset if I had not gained 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’s much less strain on my shoulders now, which implies that I can get pleasure from it a bit extra and race with my coronary heart,” Van Vleuten stated.
Requested how she feels heading into her ultimate Tour de France Femmes, Van Vleuten stated, “I really feel relaxed, centered and wanting to race with a sense of nothing to lose and every part to win.”