Vos starts in Tour of Flanders after illness, but Visma | LaB is unsure about the form of Vos and Ferrand-Prévot

There was some concern after Dwars door Vlaanderen, where Marianne Vos couldn’t start due to illness. With the Tour of Flanders just around the corner, the timing was far from ideal. But Visma | Lease a Bike has shared good news: their team leader will be able to start in the Tour of Flanders. The Dutch team will line up with a strong squad, with leadership shared between Vos and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot.

Vos looks ahead to Sunday with cautious optimism after her recent setback. “Because I haven’t been feeling fully fit the past few days, the preparation hasn’t gone ideally,” she said on her team’s website. “But fortunately, I’m feeling good again. I’m happy I’ll be at the start on Sunday.” The 37-year-old all-rounder won the Tour of Flanders in 2013, and the race still holds a special place in her heart. “The Tour of Flanders is always special. It’s called the High Mass for a reason.”

“Whether you love the hills and cobbles or not, this is a race you just want to be part of as a rider. It’s a special race for everyone. You notice that many riders build their whole season around this and make it a major goal. For us, it’s an important race too, one where we want to show what we’re capable of. We want to ride a strong race and fight for the win.” Last year, Vos finished fourth in the Tour of Flanders, behind winner Elisa Longo Borghini.

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Ferrand-Prévot also not at her best, but: “I’m convinced she and Marianne will be there in the finale”

Team director Jan Boven acknowledges that his two leaders haven’t had the best preparation. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, too, is lacking race rhythm. “At this moment, it’s hard to say whether we’re in optimal shape, but Marianne is feeling better again, and Pauline has just returned from a high-altitude training camp. She completed a very strong training block and has shown in recent races that she’s made progress in one-day races. I’m convinced that she and Marianne will be part of the final.”

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