Annemiek Van Vleuten rides a gravel section of the Giro Rosa in 2020 Annemiek van Vleuten has hinted at an after-life in cycling once she retires at the end of the season.
The 40-year-old, who signed her first full-time professional contract in 2010, will ride her last race at next month’s Simac Ladies Tour, calling time on a career in which she has won four world titles and an Olympic gold medal .
This year has brought a series of goodbyes for the Dutchwoman. On Sunday, she took part in her final UCI World Championships , placing eighth and racing with a smile on her face in Glasgow. Asked by Cycling Weekly afterwards if she had post-retirement plans, Van Vleuten assured us that she will remain “in the sport”.
“I will not train anymore,” she said. “Maybe I will do events, but not at a high level anymore. Maybe I will do some gravel, but I will not do any interval [training] anymore to prepare for it.
RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU… Cycling Weekly “I’m happy just to stop being stressed about needing to keep my level high. That’s not what I want. But you will see me in the sport. I want to continue at something, but I think first [I need] a year to see a bit what I want to do, and take my time.”
In Glasgow, a flat tyre in the final lap of the road race circuit punctured Van Vleuten’s rainbow jersey defence, but allowed her time to savour the […]
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