Annemiek van Vleuten wants to enjoy Dutch Championships: "My last season on the bike should be a party"

Annemiek van Vleuten will start this week for the last time at the Dutch Championships. The Movistar rider will take on both - time trial and road race - and she wants to show off in what will be her Last Dance.

Van Vleuten looks ahead to the title fight on the website of the NK cycling. "For me it is certainly also nice to ride in front of the Dutch public again. Due to the increasing popularity of the Tour de France Femmes, you notice that the fan base has become larger. I think it's special that I can start there again in my rainbow jersey."

Read also

Mathieu van der Poel is widely considered a favorite to be the first wearer of yellow jersey: "In the first week I already expect a lot from van der Poel"

"I'm coming back from a training camp for the National Championships time trial and road race. Last year I was very focused on the preparation for Tour de France Femmes and of course I want to look as good as possible there again. But this year I don't have to prove anything about myself anymore. My career has already succeeded. My last season on the bike should be a party and riding at the National Championships is certainly part of that," she says.

"Now I have two teammates with Floortje Mackaij and Mareille Meijering and I know that we can at least make a tough race in which the numbers of for example, Jumbo-Visma could not prevail if it were on a flat course. But don't get me wrong: it's going to be very difficult to win," expects Van Vleuten.

Read also

Route Analysis | Profiles & Route Tour de France 2023

Final startlist Tour de France with BIB | Vingegaard, Pogacar, Cavendish, Van der Poel, Van Aert, Alaphilippe, Bernal, Pidcock, Sagan and Girmay