Van der Breggen returns, new chapter for Vollering, Kopecky targets the Tour: When do the stars of the women's peloton start their seasons?
Cycling
Over the last few weeks, cycling fans have been able to crawl out of hibernation as the road season gets underway. At long last! It felt like the winter lasted forever this year, but now we get to enjoy the world’s best riders once again. Last week, we took a look at when some of the stars of the men’s peloton get underway, and in this article we will look at when the top riders in the women’s peloton get involved in the action.
With the 2025 women’s road season now underway, some of the top stars have already race for the first time in the new year, but many will appear for the first time in the next few weeks. From Grand Tour winners to Classics specialists, here’s a look at when the peloton’s biggest stars will begin their campaigns and what they aim to achieve this year.
Demi Vollering
After a turbulent end to 2024, Demi Vollering is preparing for a fresh start with FDJ - Suez. The 2023 Tour de France Femmes winner and reigning Vuelta champion made a high-profile switch from SD Worx - Protime over the winter, a move that has been one of the most talked-about transfers in women’s cycling history. Despite her incredible level in recent years, Vollering endured a challenging close to last season, suffering a broken tailbone in a crash that cost her a chance to defend her Tour title.
The new FDJ – Suez rider then received some heavy criticism for her performance in the world championship road race in Zurich last September. It feels strange to say it for a rider of Vollering’s talent, but she seems to be under a degree of pressure this year.
Vollering’s new chapter begins soon, with her first race with her new team taking place at the women’s Volta a Comunitat Valenciana which begins tomorrow. Expectations will be high as she looks to show the world just how good she is, and the pressure will be on to integrate into a new team environment while maintaining her high performance levels and rediscovering her very best. The pressure will be on for a fast start.
Lotte Kopecky
World number one Lotte Kopecky enjoyed a near-unparalleled 2024 campaign, winning Paris-Roubaix and Strade Bianche, while also defending her world road race title in Zurich. The Belgian powerhouse is set to begin her season with an eye on reclaiming her Flanders title (which she won in 2022 and 2023) and targeting her biggest goal yet – winning the Tour de France Femmes. Yes, Kopecky surprised everyone recently by claiming she now has ambitions to win the Tour, as she now feels confident enough to go for glory in the mountains.
Kopecky has openly stated her ambitions for the Tour and will have Anna van der Breggen as a crucial domestique in the mountains. Or that’s at least what the returning Van der Breggen has said, although how that dynamic of having two superstars in the Team SD Worx – Protime set up will work out.
Kopecky is confirmed to race the first women’s Milano-Sanremo next month, before targeting other races like the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold and Liege in the spring. With her versatility across both classics and stage races, 2025 could be another defining year in her career. But can Kopecky complete her transition from one day champion into grand tour glory, and can she win another world title?
Elisa Longo Borghini
Elisa Longo Borghini wasted no time getting her 2025 season underway, winning the overall classification at the UAE Tour Women. The Italian, ranked second in the world, is targeting a packed schedule this year, with confirmed appearances at Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege before shifting focus to a Giro-Tour double in the summer.
Longo Borghini has been one of the most consistent performers in women’s cycling, and with an early win already under her belt, she will be a key rider to watch throughout the year. She has shown time and again that she can pull her best results out at the most important moments, making her one of the toughest contenders across the WorldTour season.
Katarzyna Niewiadoma
Katarzyna Niewiadoma made history in 2024 by winning the Tour de France Femmes, and the Polish star will soon begin her 2025 campaign. She is set to make her season debut this week at the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana, a race that will also see several other top names lining up.
Niewiadoma’s victory last year was a defining moment in her career, and she will be looking to build on that success as she aims to defend her Tour crown later in the year. Remember, the 30 year old was the gravel world champion in 2023, and so is by no means a one dimensional rider.
With a growing reputation as one of the best climbers in the peloton, her performances in the early part of the season could set the tone for a year where she aims to defend her crown.
Marianne Vos
Arguably the greatest women’s cyclist of all time, Marianne Vos is back for yet another season. The 37-year-old Dutch star spent the winter making a long-awaited return to cyclocross, but now turns her attention back to the road.
Vos, a three-time world road race champion and 2024 Tour de France Femmes points classification winner, has a busy schedule lined up for the spring. Her program includes the first women’s Milano-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders (where she won in 2013) and Paris-Roubaix, where she finished fourth last year.
Even at 37, Vos remains one of the most formidable competitors in the peloton. Her experience and tactical intelligence make her a threat in any race she enters, and she will undoubtedly be looking to add more victories to her already legendary palmarès. Let’s keep enjoying the GOAT whilst she is still racing!
Anna van der Breggen
Four-time Giro d’Italia winner and Olympic champion Anna van der Breggen returns to professional racing in 2025 after a four-year hiatus, and this could certainly prove to be one of the most exciting storylines of the season. The Dutch legend, who last raced in 2021, has spoken about rediscovering her love for the sport and is ready to compete again. Bring it on!
It is not yet confirmed where Van der Breggen will begin her comeback, but she will be tackling the Ardennes Classics, including Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Later in the year, she will target the Tour de France Femmes, a race she never competed in before retiring. Given the incredible level she concluded her career with in 2021, it will be fascinating to see how quickly she can return to her best form.
But how will she fit in alongside Lotte Kopecky? Will she be a loyal teammate? Or will she be riding for personal glory?
Lorena Wiebes
Lorena Wiebes has already begun her 2025 campaign in stunning fashion. The 25-year-old European champion dominated the UAE Tour Women, winning three of the four stages and taking the points classification in the process. A 75% winning record so far isn’t bad!
Wiebes is set for a busy spring, starting with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on 1st March, followed by La Samyn des Dames on 4th March. She will then turn her focus to Milano-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix, aiming to add to her growing list of major victories.
Her rapid start to the season signals shows that she has remained in tip top shape over the winter, and with her sights set on the biggest races of the year, she will be a major contender in every event she lines up for.
With the season now fully underway, these riders will once again be the key protagonists across the biggest races on the calendar. Whether chasing Grand Tour glory, targeting the cobbled Classics, or aiming to defend world titles, the women’s peloton is set for another thrilling year of racing. With so many storylines unfolding, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory.
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- All 3 of them went to doping control
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