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The Tour de France Femmes was Annemiek van Vleuten’s ultimate massive aim as an expert bicycle owner however not her ultimate bow, with the Dutch rider asserting that after the World Championships street race on Sunday she’ll be persevering with on with a collection of criteriums and two stage races, the Tour of Scandinavia and the Simac Ladies Tour.
Van Vleuten first defended her Giro d’Italia Donne title in July after which the Movistar rider put all her concentrate on defending yellow, and whereas it didn’t work out the best way she had hoped it was maybe the passing of that aim, somewhat than simply the end result, that left her strolling away from the French Tour with a flood of emotion.
“I realised that it was the final aim that I fully dedicated myself to and labored in direction of,” Van Vleuten, who got here fourth over in France, in a submit on her weblog. “That’s one thing I’ve at all times loved doing. Make a plan and attempt to get my very best stage. I’ve to say that for the Tour that truly labored out, besides … the final two days. The primary six days had been nice.”
“The tears I confirmed after the ultimate time trial had been additionally as a result of I realised earlier than the Tour that that race was my final main aim, which I labored in direction of. I got here house with that blend of feelings. That was fairly tough, as a result of I got here house with that disappointment, but additionally with much more feelings round it. Then I began serious about what’s to come back.”
The 40-year-old wasn’t fairly able to stroll away from her profession but and might be handing on her rainbow jersey and taking the World Championships road race in a support role on Sunday earlier than racing in three criteriums – the derny criterium in Antwerp on Monday, on Tuesday the Valstar Wielerspektakel van Naaldwijk and on Sunday the Profronde van Etten-Leur within the Netherlands.
“Sadly, there are not any races on our calendar that actually enchantment to me or are made for me,” mentioned Van Vleuten. ”However stopping after the Tour, I did not really feel prefer it both. I nonetheless need to race. I talked to my staff, coach and psychological coach about what I might journey final races. We then determined to journey the Tour of Scandinavia and to shut it very symbolically in-house, within the Simac Women Tour, at first of September.”
The Simac Women Tour has the added bonus of tieing to her previous, when she was simply beginning out and drove there to race as a visitor rider for the Therme Skincare staff, although this time she’ll be hoping the race will play out in a different way and never finish after at some point due to a crash.
The lengthy working Simac Women Tour is a Women’s WorldTour race that runs from September 5-10, with a prologue in Ede, a time trial in Leuven and a ultimate stage which finishes in Arnhem.
“That’s 25 kilometres from my home, the place my boyfriend lives and likewise near the Achterhoek, the place I grew up and have a fan base,” mentioned Van Vleuten in her weblog submit. “These usually are not all phases the place lots is feasible for me, however I actually get pleasure from racing within the Netherlands and there’ll in all probability be some individuals from my space to observe.”
“I believe it is a good option to say goodbye, the place I also can get pleasure from it. Within the Tour de France you’re so targeted since you are targeted on all types of issues. That is why I identical to to journey two extra races that I can get pleasure from with out stress. However first, the World Championships.”
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