Vos and Ferrand-Prevot lead Visma charge at La Vuelta a Espana Femenina: "I’ll be going for the win"

The first Grand Tour of the season is just days away, as La Vuelta a España Femenina gets set to begin on 4 May. Running through to 10 May, this 11th edition of the race will once again see the world’s top riders battle it out across the varied terrain of Spain. Among them is Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women, bringing a squad that blends proven champions with emerging talent.

Leading the charge is Marianne Vos, one of the sport’s all-time greats, who returns for her third Vuelta appearance. The 38-year-old Dutch icon already holds the record for most stage wins at the race, sharing that honour with Demi Vollering, thanks to two-stage hauls in both 2022 and 2023.

“The spring classics are intense, so it’s good to have a short break afterwards,” she says in a team press release. “I was able to complete a valuable training block in Mallorca to prepare for La Vuelta. I’m feeling good and really excited.”

Vos will play a dual role throughout the week, both chasing stages herself and supporting the team’s general classification ambitions with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot leading that charge.

“In addition to targeting stage wins, we also have general classification ambitions with Pauline as our leader,” Vos adds. “That means we’ll need to strike a balance between protecting our GC position and seizing stage opportunities. My role and goals will vary from day to day. On some stages, I’ll be going for the win, while on others I’ll be supporting Pauline.

“It’s great to see how we continue building for the future as a team. We’ve had a strong spring campaign, and it would be fantastic to carry that momentum into La Vuelta. There are definitely opportunities for us.”

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot arrives in Spain off the back of her sensational victory at Paris-Roubaix less than a month ago, and will now make her Grand Tour debut.

“I never dared to dream of a spring like this,” Ferrand-Prévot says. “It was an amazing, but demanding period. I enjoyed a short break at home to recharge. Now I feel completely ready to give it my all in La Vuelta.”

Her debut is being approached with a calm mindset, one that has worked well so far this year.

“I started the spring with few expectations—nothing was required, everything was allowed. I’ll approach La Vuelta with the same mindset. I’m ready to give it my all together with my teammates. It’s my first Grand Tour ever, which definitely adds some excitement.

"I believe it will be a key experience for my development. It’s going to be a valuable week, and hopefully we’ll be able to lay some foundations for the Tour de France, which is another major goal.”

Rounding out the Visma | Lease a Bike lineup are Femke de Vries, Marion Bunel, Maud Oudeman, Viktória Chladoňová, and Imogen Wolff, completing a versatile and ambitious team heading into the season’s opening Grand Tour.