Van Vleuten confirms retirement in 2023, says it "will be scary but it will also give me a lot"

Annemiek van Vleuten will have her final year in the peloton in 2023. The Dutch rider herself confirmed that once again during a pre-race press conference at the Tour de Romandie Féminin, despite her incomparable season in the peloton and her recent World title.

“It was taken out of context," she said regarding the rumours that she may postpone her retirement in the coming season. "They just asked me ‘do you sometimes have doubts about stopping’ and I said ‘yes.’ Sometimes, I have doubts about stopping because I still love it so much, so why would I stop it? That was the answer to it and then the media picked it up and said ‘maybe she will continue’ and that’s not the case."

At 39 - 40 tomorrow - years of age, most riders will have already hung up their wheels when it comes to professional cycling. Not the Movistar Team rider though, who's not only remained at her high level, she's raised the bar, winning all three Grand Tours and the World Championships this year, inbetween other teams.

“I wanted to make my point that I am at such a high level that looking at that I would still have doubts and think maybe I can continue. To become world champion and to wear the rainbow jersey is even more confirmation to stop next year," she argued. "After wearing the rainbow jersey for a year, it is the best moment for me to stop. I don’t have any doubts, I will enjoy it to the max next year.”

The veteran will enjoy her final year in the peloton with the rainbow stripes, but the 2022 season is not over yet and in Switzerland she will be chasing further success to an already overwhelmingly positive year. She has gotten this success alongside the Spanish team, which she argues may be the place where she will continue her future in the sport.

“Something that gives me energy at Movistar is that I see a young group of women who are developing so quickly. It’s not just the women, the staff around the team. To work with a young group of people, enthusiastic athletes, it’s something that I would really love to do,” she said. “Only, I’m sure that I would not like to do it from the car, so I will not be a DS."

Her compatriot Anna van der Breggen also hung up the wheels close to the top of her game, and switched to a DS role within SD Worx, quite successfully. Although she isn't ambitioning the same role, she's aiming for a similar departure. “At the moment, I am thinking a little bit about which role I would like to work with young athletes, and how I can inspire and coach them. Maybe as a sports psychologist or maybe as a team manager or maybe just a trainer. I also like it from the training side and you can have a good impact as a coach. But first I want to enjoy 100 percent next year so I don’t want to think too much about what I am going to do after," van Vleuten continued.

“At times, I am realising that I will not find the same passion, but for sure, I need to find a new passion and I am quite confident that I will find something. It will be challenging, but I like to go out my comfort zone, and stopping is maybe out of my comfort zone. My step to Movistar was a bit out of my comfort zone but stopping cycling also gives me new opportunities. I think that will be scary but it will also give me a lot," she concluded.