Marianne Vos is finally ready to begin her 2025 road season
after a delayed start due to injury. The
Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider had to
cut her cyclocross campaign short after sustaining a calf injury, but she has
now fully shifted her focus to the road. Her season debut will come at the Trofeo
Alfredo Binda, before heading to Milano-Sanremo, where she will test herself in
one of the biggest one-day races on the calendar.
Reflecting on her challenging off-season, Vos remains
optimistic about her form and eager to return to competition. "I
unfortunately had to end my cyclocross season prematurely due to a calf injury,
but with the road season approaching, I was able to quickly switch to prepare
myself optimally,"
she said in a press release. "The team has already
shown some great things in recent weeks, so I'm really starting to get
excited."
While she is feeling fit and motivated, she acknowledges
that getting back into race rhythm will take some time. "I feel fit and
hope to compete in the final, although we always have to wait and see how
things go in the first race of the season."
This year, the long awaited arrival of Milano-Sanremo for women has
slightly altered the positioning of Trofeo Alfredo Binda on the race calendar,
which could change the dynamics of the race.
"With the arrival of
Milan-Sanremo for women, Binda will have a slightly different place on the
cycling calendar. It is now seen more as a preparation race, and that is why I
expect a tough race with many strong riders. It is a beautiful race, and I hope
to be able to fight for the win together with the team."
Joining Vos at Trofeo Alfredo Binda will be the cyclocross superstar
Fem van Empel,
who continues to build her road racing experience. "It's a new round for
me with a lot of elevation, so I'm looking forward to discovering whether this
suits me and to make something beautiful out of it," Van Empel shared. "I'm
still fairly new to the road, so my expectations aren't extremely high yet. It
will mean a lot to me if I can do something for the team."