Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women aims for stage wins and GC ambitions in La Vuelta
With La Vuelta a España Femenina just around the corner, the first Grand Tour of the season is about to begin. Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women heads to Spain with a mix of experience and emerging talent. We look ahead with key riders Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Marianne Vos.
The 11th edition of La Vuelta Femenina takes place from May 4 to May 10. As in previous editions, the race opens with a team time trial. The following days offer opportunities for the sprinters, before the final showdown in the high mountains. Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women is fielding a well-balanced line-up, featuring both seasoned riders and promising young talents.
"In addition to targeting stage wins, we also have general classification ambitions with Pauline as our leader"
Marianne Vos is gearing up for her third appearance in La Vuelta. In the last two editions, the 37-year-old Dutch rider claimed two stage wins each time, sharing the record for most stage victories with fellow Dutchwoman Demi Vollering. After a solid build-up, Vos is looking forward to the season’s first Grand Tour. “The spring classics are intense, so it’s good to have a short break afterwards,” she says. “I was able to complete a valuable training block in Mallorca to prepare for La Vuelta. I’m feeling good and really excited.”
Team Visma | Lease a Bike heads into La Vuelta with multiple goals. “In addition to targeting stage wins, we also have general classification ambitions with Pauline as our leader,” Vos adds. “That means we’ll need to strike a balance between protecting our GC position and seizing stage opportunities. My role and goals will vary from day to day. On some stages, I’ll be going for the win, while on others I’ll be supporting Pauline. It’s great to see how we continue building for the future as a team. We’ve had a strong spring campaign, and it would be fantastic to carry that momentum into La Vuelta. There are definitely opportunities for us.”
"I’m ready to give it my all together with my teammates"
La Vuelta marks Ferrand-Prévot’s first-ever Grand Tour. The 33-year-old Frenchwoman capped off a dominant spring with several impressive podium finishes and a victory at Paris-Roubaix. “I never dared to dream of a spring like this,” Ferrand-Prévot says. “It was an amazing, but demanding period. I enjoyed a short break at home to recharge. Now I feel completely ready to give it my all in La Vuelta.”
“I started the spring with few expectations—nothing was required, everything was allowed. I’ll approach La Vuelta with the same mindset. I’m ready to give it my all together with my teammates. It’s my first Grand Tour ever, which definitely adds some excitement. I believe it will be a key experience for my development. It’s going to be a valuable week, and hopefully we’ll be able to lay some foundations for the Tour de France, which is another major goal,” she concludes.
In addition to Ferrand-Prévot and Vos, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women will also line up with Femke de Vries, Marion Bunel, Maud Oudeman, Viktória Chladoňová and Imogen Wolff.
