What it Takes W/ Annemiek van Vleuten - Episode 2: The Rainbow Debut
06 March 2020
When Annemiek van Vleuten attacked with 105km remaining at the 2019 UCI Road Race World Championships, and no one went with her, few thought she would survive, including the 37-year-old herself. Five months on from that ‘crazy’ move and historical victory, Van Vleuten finally debuted the rainbow jersey at the 2020 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
The Dutch woman enjoyed a smooth off-season, one she declared as her best yet, but would it translate to race results and could she overcome the curse of the rainbow jersey? Despite a mechanical mid-race that would increase fears, any suggestion of that famous curse was quickly put to bed at the first opportunity and Van Vleuten started exactly where she left off… on the top step.
Q&A with the Champion about life in the Rainbow:
What do the rainbow stripes mean for you?“I am really proud to race in the rainbow jersey. If I can win in the jersey it will be very special every time, but winning is always special, whether you're wearing the jersey or not.”
How are you handling the pressure of being in the rainbow stripes going into the 2020 season?
“I don’t really feel extra pressure, just more motivated and I am just really excited and ready to race. In the media there is more interest with each race I am in the rainbow jersey but I think I just have to enjoy that, it is quite cool."
What are your goals for the 2020 season?
"My season is split into three blocks, the Classics are a big goal of mine this year, then the Olympics and the returning to the world championships as the defending champion. I'm not racing a lot in the Classics, but the races I am doing, I am really targeting. After coming so close a few times last year I am really looking forward to racing them again this year. If you come second then there is the possibility to win."
“Physically and mentally I had the best winter training ever, the most enjoyable preparation from the last ten-years. I started with a really good off-season; happy, relaxed, going on a holiday and then the training has been going really well since then, especially going to Colombia twice.
"I had hard training but I enjoyed it a lot, especially training in the rainbow jersey, it gives that extra motivation. I think worst case scenario if the results aren´t there this season, then I just had an amazing preparation.”
Are you doing anything different this season with the Olympics on the schedule?
“I am just taking each racing block one at a time, I know my programme up until Liege-Bastogne-Liege, then after that I will sit down and see where I am at and what preparation I still need todo. The Dutch federation makes the Olympic team selection in May so then I will have a better idea about how to plan my schedule."
‘A rainbow debut’ is the second episode in the ‘Annemiek van Vleuten – WHAT IT TAKES’ series. It provides an in-depth look back at the historical victory in Harrogate, including the ‘pages of a book’ Van Vleuten wrote in her mind during the 105km solo ride. Future episodes will take you further inside the world of ‘Vleuty’ - the levels she takes herself to in training, fuelling and preparing, and what controls and powers the mind of one of the world’s best female riders.
“I don’t feel the pressure, I’m just excited and I’m really ready to race. I’ve trained enough now, so let’s race!”
Words: Mitchelton- SCOTTFilm: Sam Flanagan
