“She’s been out of the sport for three years. That’s always going to catch up with you" - Van Vleuten unsurprised by Van der Breggen's Tour de France Femmes disappointment

As the Tour de France Femmes exploded on the slopes of the Col de la Madeleine, one of the most surprising casualties was Anna van der Breggen.

The SD Worx - Protime leader, back in the peloton after three years away from racing, was among the first GC contenders to crack on the final climb. Yet, if there was any disappointment in the Dutch camp, there was also perspective – especially from former Tour winner Annemiek van Vleuten.

Speaking on De Avondetappe, Van Vleuten said she wasn’t shocked to see her long-time rival and compatriot lose time. “Honestly, I didn’t expect her to be up there fighting for the podium,” she said. “Maybe she could’ve surprised us, but in truth, we’ve already seen her having to ride her own pace early on in climbs this year. So no – it’s not a huge surprise.”

Van der Breggen ultimately lost more time than any of her fellow GC hopefuls, unable to match the blistering pace set by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and her pursuers. But Van Vleuten, never one to sugarcoat the demands of elite racing, pointed to a clear reason behind the performance dip. “She’s been out of the sport for three years,” Van Vleuten said matter-of-factly. “That’s always going to catch up with you during a stage race. Your body just doesn’t recover as well when it hasn’t been through those repeated efforts for a few seasons.”

Van der Breggen, a former Olympic and World Champion, retired from professional racing at the end of 2021 and only returned to competition this season. While her comeback has been met with both fanfare and expectation, Van Vleuten was quick to remind viewers that rebuilding top-end form isn’t something you can rush. “That recovery capacity – that endurance – it’s something you only get from laying down a base and doing long blocks of back-to-back training,” she said. “She’s still in the middle of catching up on that.”

Despite the setbacks, Van Vleuten expressed full confidence that Van der Breggen would return to a much stronger level in 2026. “It’s just a matter of time,” she said. “By next year, I think we’ll see a completely different Anna – she’ll have erased most of the deficit and be much further along. This year is all about rebuilding. What comes next will be far more telling.”

With Van der Breggen now out of GC contention, attention turns to her role in supporting teammates like Lorena Wiebes – a role she’s already fulfilled with quiet effectiveness earlier in the race.

Whether she returns to full leadership in future editions remains to be seen. But if Van Vleuten’s prediction is right, Van der Breggen’s comeback story may still have its defining chapters ahead.