Team Visma | Lease a Bike aims for stage victories in Giro d'Italia Women
With the Grande Partenza in Bergamo this Sunday, the 38th edition of the Giro d'Italia Women kicks off. Team Visma | Lease a Bike travels to Italy with a mix of experience and talent and intends to continue the good line of the spring. Marianne Vos and Lieke Nooijen look ahead to the Italian stage race with us.
Vos has a lot of good memories of the Giro d'Italia Women (formerly Giro Donne). Since her first participation in 2007, she took 32 stage victories and won the overall classification three times. "I love the Giro and racing in Italy. The Giro is an incredibly beautiful race with a rich and long history within women's cycling. I have always enjoyed participating in this race," she said.
According to Vos, there are several reasons why the Giro is so special. "The combination of tradition, atmosphere and course makes it unique. It's a race you really build a connection with as a rider. Each edition has its own character, but the passion of the Italian fans and the charm of the landscape give each year something special. And of course the many pink villages along the way, where you really notice that the Giro is alive. Eighteen years ago that already impressed me, and it still does now."
Whereas Vos already has twelve Giro participations behind her name, Nooijen's grand tour counter stands at one. The 23-year-old rider made her debut in the Giro d'Italia Women last year and is also part of Team Visma | Lease a Bike's selection this year. “I'm really looking forward to racing again,” says Nooijen, who has returned from injury. “It's always nice when you can ride a grand tour, but when you've been out of it for a while, it's extra nice to be able to get back on the road with your teammates.”
Nooijen broke a vertebra at the beginning of the year and had to cancel the spring season as a result. After successful rehabilitation, she graced her comeback last week with a bronze medal at the NK time trial in Surhuisterveen. "I was very happy with that. I knew the training was going well, but I had no idea how I compared to the competition. It's nice to start the season like this and it gives a lot of confidence towards the Giro."
"My goal is to come out of the Giro stronger than I am going into it."
The Giro d'Italia Women starts Sunday with an individual time trial in and around Bergamo. For Nooijen, that is immediately a stage she likes. “That time trial is a real goal,” said the Dutchwoman, who otherwise does not have too many expectations. "In the first place, I mainly want to gain race rhythm. My goal is to come out of the Giro stronger than I am going into it, so that I can lay a nice building block for the rest of the season."
For Vos, the focus is on chasing stage victories and supporting her teammates. Despite the challenging course, the 38-year-old rider sees plenty of chances to have a shot at a stage win. "It will be a tough Giro with a lot of climbing. It is important to take a good look at where our opportunities lie along the way. For me personally, it's a matter of looking at each day to see where the opportunities lie and to go for them fully."
In addition to Vos and Nooijen, Eva van Agt, Rosita Reijnhout, Maud Oudeman, Mijntje Geurts and Viktória Chladoňová will also be at the start of the Giro d'Italia Women on behalf of Team Visma | Lease a Bike.
