"It's a very good development for women's cycling" - Annemiek van Vleuten excited about the women's peloton heading in to 2025

Wielerflits recently spoke with Annemiek van Vleuten about the significant developments in women's cycling, including Demi Vollering's move to FDJ-SUEZ and Anna van der Breggen's return to the sport. Van Vleuten, who retired from professional cycling in 2023, is set to begin a new role as a performance mentor for the Belgian WorldTour women’s team Fenix-Deceuninck in 2025.

"I'm really looking forward to it. It's a very good development for women's cycling," Van Vleuten shared. The 42-year-old multiple world champion and Olympic gold medallist expressed her enthusiasm for the increasing competitiveness among teams.

“It also touches my heart,” Van Vleuten continued, elaborating on the broader implications of these changes. “It was one of the motivations why I once signed with Movistar. I felt, we have to keep it interesting. It is more fun if we spread the quality over several teams. Then you have several teams with a plan.”

Van Vleuten is particularly optimistic about how these shifts will elevate the sport. “That is really the case with this development, it is fantastic,” she enthused. “Also with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who is returning as a road cyclist at Visma | Lease a Bike. She is also really going to be a classification rider. It is also fantastic that Anna van der Breggen is returning. They will raise the level. As a bench sitter we are lucky.”