Annemiek van Vleuten will continue her world championships victory celebration wearing the rainbow jersey for the first time at the Tour de Romandie Féminin from October 7-9.
The Dutch rider says there is no pressure on her shoulders to perform and that she will simply race with her heart, and whatever the outcome, she will finish out the season on a high note.
“The last time that I was the World Champion [2019 in Yorkshire] it was the year with COVID-19, so I know how special it is to race in the rainbow jersey. I could not wait to race in the rainbow jersey. I’m super keen to be here and to see my team again,” said Van Vleuten, who won the elite women’s road race for the second time in her career, this time in Wollongong in September.
“I was checking the UCI calendar before the World Championships to see if there were more races than Romandie. I was still keen to race without pressure. If I had a Tour de France-pressure race coming up then I would not have been keen.
“It’s also nice to race in Romandie but without much pressure for myself or my team on my shoulders to go for results.
“After the World Championships, I could have chosen to let my elbow completely recover but it’s a super nice opportunity to race in the rainbow jersey.”
Van Vleuten had crashed and broken her elbow in the team time trial mixed relay event just three days before the elite women’s road race. However, she dug deep in the road race with a last-ditch attack in the final kilometre and secured a stunning and memorable solo win.
In an interview with members of the press on Thursday ahead of Tour de Romandie, Van Vleuten admitted that her elbow is still tender but that within five or six weeks it should be fully healed.
“It was a rollercoaster. My elbow is surprisingly already less painful. After the road race, I didn’t have any reaction in my elbow and it didn’t get worse, and that is always why I am here,” she said.
“Everyday, I’ve had the feeling that it’s getting better. I also had the feeling that I could go out and train a little bit, and get out of the saddle.
“I had a lot of coffee and cake rides, but I also tried to ride out of the saddle. I could enjoy my victory without thinking all the time about my broken elbow. It still needs some time, but in four or five weeks, it will be fine.”
Van Vleuten said that despite her injury, and that her season wasn’t quite finished, she was able to celebrate a little bit with her family and friends upon returning home to the Netherlands…
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