“It has been a very difficult period,” Vos says, reflecting on the loss of her father, who was also one of her biggest supporters. “It was good and important for me to spend the past few weeks with my family. This week, I’ve tried to get back to normal life again, and of course the bike is an important part of that.”

Despite the difficult period, the Dutch rider is looking forward to returning for one of the spring’s biggest races. “Paris-Roubaix is a very special race and has always been a major goal for me. So I’m really looking forward to being back on the start line with the team on Sunday.”

For Vos, it is also one of the most beautiful races of the year. “From the moment you arrive here and go out for the recon, it just feels great to be here. Even though the cobbled sectors can feel like torture, the road leading to the Vélodrome in Roubaix is beautiful. This race is so unique in cycling. I absolutely love it.”

That uniqueness was only amplified last year, when Ferrand-Prévot rode solo to victory in the Hell of the North. “It was fantastic to be part of. When I was there in the final with Pauline and realized she was going to take the win, it gave me an amazing feeling.”

This year, Vos hopes to once again be in contention for the biggest result together with the team. “I’m going to give it everything I have, and as a team we will definitely try to go for the win again.”

In the hunt for another victory, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women can count not only on Vos, but also on defending champion Ferrand-Prévot. “With Marianne and Pauline, we have two strong cards to play, but that doesn’t mean anything comes automatically,” race coach Jan Boven says. “It’s up to us to race smart and keep supporting each other as well as possible.”

The Frenchwoman did not originally have the spring classic on her race program, but ultimately could not resist returning to the place where she claimed her first victory for the Dutch team. “Pauline was very eager to race Roubaix. Her addition naturally changes the dynamic and gives us even more options during the race. With such a strong and well-balanced team, we’re aiming for the best possible result,” Boven concludes.

Alongside Vos and Ferrand-Prévot, Lieke Nooijen, Nienke Veenhoven, Daniek Hengeveld and Margaux Vigié complete Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women’s six-rider line-up for Paris-Roubaix.