Team Jumbo-Visma Women ready for Paris-Roubaix Femmes
Team Jumbo-Visma Women will once again be at the start of Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Saturday, with Marianne Vos. In 2021, she finished second in this French cobbled classic.
The third edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift departs Saturday in Denain and, like the men's race, ends in the vélodrome of Roubaix. According to the weather forecasters, the riders don’t have to worry about slippery cobblestones this year. It promises to be 13 degrees and stay dry.
Last Thursday, the team and sports director Lieselot Decroix did a recon of the course. "To say we are looking forward to the start is an understatement. Paris-Roubaix is a very beautiful race. With Marianne, we definitely want to go for a good result. The team is fully capable of assisting her in the final. We are well prepared, although everything has fall in place of course."
Vos knows all about that. The Dutch rider rode in the very first edition of the race in 2021 to a second place, but last year she was forced to skip the "hell classic" after a positive covid test. "It wasn't nice to miss the race," Vos says. "I was really looking forward to it, but that is also the case now. Maybe the enthusiasm to start is even greater because I could not ride there last year."
"There is no other classic like Paris-Roubaix"
According to Vos, Paris-Roubaix is one of the most beautiful races of the season. "It's a race that stands out on the calendar. When Paris-Roubaix was introduced to women's cycling in 2021, we didn't really know what to expect. The first edition was very slippery and I was immediately able to finish second. My first encounter with that race was good and I will take that motivation with me to Saturday. There is no other classic like Paris-Roubaix, that race is unique."
“We will definitely try to ride a good race," Vos continues. Although in Paris-Roubaix you always need some luck, too. We have to give it our all to always race at the front and be in a good position. The , I hope to be a part of the finale."
Decroix realizes that not all of the races the team competed in have had the desired results. "We have already shown great things this season," she says, "but we all want just that little more. As a team, we are growing. We learn from every race. That's how we will keep getting stronger."
Saturday, Vos will be joined by Coryn Labecki, Noemi Rüegg, Linda Riedmann, Nienke Veenhoven and Teuntje Beekhuis.
