The Dutch champion is one of those who needs no introduction. At the highest level for almost 10 years, she's carved out a niche for herself over the years, winning in turn the biggest events of the women's calendar. His recent victory at the Giro Rosa gives us the opportunity to look back on the key moments of his exceptional career
2008, first steps with the pros
After starting out in football, Annemiek Van Vleuten forced to take time off due to injury. We are in 2006, she then discovered cycling. After a successful start in an amateur club, she manages to integrate the professional level by 2008 au sein de l'équipe néerlandaise Friends of the Countryside. She made her first laps there alongside Ellen Van Dijk in particular, and quickly shows good skills on hilly terrain. Some beautiful tops 10, but also a third place on the prologue of the Tour du Limousin, which reveals undeniable qualities in the timed exercise.
2009, a meeting at the top
The next year, Annemiek intègre la formation DSB Bank – The Netherlands is flourishing, in which she meets Marianne Vos, one of the greatest champions in the history of women's cycling, who wins this season 18 victories. A fruitful meeting that allows the Dutch, already aged 27 years, to take advantage of all the experience of the high level and lay the foundations of his great career. It confirms its results from the previous year, both in time trial and in road races, but does not yet manage to cross the threshold leading to victory.
This level, she crosses it the following year. She finished 10th in the Tour of Flanders, an impressive performance which allows him to acquire a new status, which she confirmed a few days later by winning the Novillon Eurocup Ronde Van Drenthe. The train is moving, and successes keep coming, first on the Gracia – Orlova, then on the Spanish race Emakumeen Bira, that she finished in 2nd place after winning the 5th stage. The highlight of his season remains the Route de France, she wins hands down, also securing a stage victory and several podiums, with a 9th place for the worst result of the week. A season that says a lot about the abilities of the Dutch 28 years.
First victory on the Tour of Flanders
It's in 2011 for Annemiek Van Vleuten to claim his first major victory, on the occasion of the 8th edition of the Women's Tour of Flanders. She is ahead of Tatiana Antoshina and her teammate Marianne Vos, and stands out as one of the revelations of this season 2011. She will end her season with 3 World Cup victories, notably winning the GP de Plouay, and at the same time wins the World Cup.
The next year, the team becomes Rabobank Women’s Team, and Pauline Ferrand Prévot is joining the workforce, then aged 20 years. Annemiek Van Vleuten signs a full season with 9 victories, including a Dutch time trial champion title.
2017, the consecration
After several rather successful seasons, embellished with stage victories on the Giro, new Dutch time trial titles and places of honor on the greatest classics, Annemiek seems to have found her cruising speed, and tackle this season 2017, its 10th among professionals, within the Orica-Scott formation with the status of favorite on events such as the Strade Bianche or the Tour of Flanders, tests that she finishes among the 5 firsts. More, see you soon 35 years, we think more of the end of his career than of real progress, and the hopes placed in her have eroded over time, with the feeling that the best was already behind her. This feeling is reinforced by his heavy fall in the Rio Olympic Games road race the previous year., as she led the final descent alone in the lead. But it was underestimating the temperament and talent of this atypical champion, which has taken on another dimension during this season 2017.
In July, she achieves a magnificent Tour of Italy, win 2 stages and finished 3rd in the general classification. A performance that demonstrates his excellent form, which she uses a few days later to win the Course by Le Tour and add a prestigious line to her prize list. She also won the Boels Ladies Tour, winning both time trial stages, before concluding his season brilliantly at the world championships by finishing 4th in the road race, 4 days after claiming his first world title in the timed exercise.
An end of season in apotheosis, who once again proves the full extent of his qualities and places him as one of the great champions of his generation.
Van Vleuten sans limite ?
In 2018, it largely confirms its status and even goes well beyond. 3e of the Tour of Flanders and Liège Bastogne Liège, but above all winner of the Tour of Italy for the first time, with 3 bonus stage wins, the dutch is definitely entering a new dimension. It also doubles the stake on the Course by Le Tour, as well as on the Boels Ladies Tour and the chrono worlds.
This season is on course to remain the best of his career, with already a victory over the Strade Bianche, a 2nd place on the Tour of Flanders, the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Wallone, as well as a superb victory over Liège Bastogne Liège. A 4th national time trial champion title and a second coronation on the Giro already give her year 2019 a very nice look, who is just waiting to be enhanced tomorrow by a success in the first edition of the Clasica San Sebastian for women, before why not successfully defend his rainbow jersey against the clock in Yorkshire in September.
