Annemiek van Vleuten's final year in the women's World Tour peloton has so far not been the glorious farewell she would have hoped. Still searching for a first win of the year, her coach Louis Delahaije explains what's changed from last year.
"Last year she could demolish anyone with brute force, now they don't crack anymore," Delahaije says in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. "I am thinking of riders such as Lotte Kopecky and Demi Vollering. Annemiek was disappointed after the La Fleche Wallone Feminine on Wednesday, but she already sounded different in the evening. She draws extra motivation from every setback."
Van Vleuten herself, now 40-year-old realises she is no longer at the peak of her powers, yet the Dutchwoman still maintains a belief that she can challenge for the win at Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes, a race where she has previously emerged victorious two times in 2022 and 2019. "The decisive moment in Liège-Bastogne-Liège was always on La Redoute for the women. The first time I won, I was solo from there," van Vleuten explains.
"I often ride at a fast pace and try to accelerate from the saddle. I don't play on the surprise, it has to be the hardest way," she continues. "I don't look back, I have that in my head. I go for it and even if they are in my wheel, it only distracts. In addition, looking back is a mental sign that you say: 'I'm in pain, are you still there?' I never look back, not even secretly. It's nice when you hear from the team leader's car that there are girls about to break. That's just not possible in Liège, where the cars are not so close behind."
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