Marianne Vos shoots for ninth cyclocross World title: "Marianne has to show that she belongs there"

It was not always the plan of Marianne Vos to shoot for the cyclocross World Championships this winter but after solid ride at the Dutch Championships, she declares the race in Liévin her next big objective this winter.

"I chose a short program, this National Championship fit in nicely," she told WielerFlits after the National Championships. Before the home Championships, she had only participated in a single World Cup round. "I had a good feeling after Besançon (she finished fifth in her season debut, ed.) and after that I had good training. That was my choice," explains Vos.

Her run-up to the World Championships is, according to her own words, going well at the moment. "I feel good, but cyclocross is very specific and every lap is different. I feel good and I am now taking it week by week."

Visma | Lease a Bike team leader Jan Boven adds: "Ultimately, Gerben de Knegt has to make the selection, but we discussed this with him beforehand. Those conversations are going well, but ultimately Marianne has to show that she belongs there. That form building is going well, she is in Spain a lot and the evening after the National Championships she flies back there again."

The cyclocross campaign is also part of the build-up towards the spring classics for Vos, who hopes to do even better than last year when she triumphed at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Dwars door Vlaanderen and Amstel Gold Race.

However it's clear that her road season will need to start a bit later than in 2024 if Vos is indeed going to participate at the cyclocross World Championships. "Everything is possible, I always say, but it's still about balance. There are choices in that. You can make the choice to continue, but then the spring can suddenly be very long. We will also make choices in that, unfortunately not all races are possible," she concludes.