After the American stages, the Dutch athlete will resume her cyclocross World Cup season in Vermiglio with the anticipated snow race on December 12th
If Mathieu Van der Poel, Wout Van Aert and Tom Pidcock are the stars of a new generation of multidisciplinary talents in the men's field, there’s somebody in the women’s field who had successfully taken that pathway before them.
For Marianne Vos, the resume speaks for itself: thanks to seven world titles in cyclo-cross, two on the track and three on the road, the Dutchwoman is considered by many the greatest woman rider of all time, as a result of unique talent and hunger for success.
After winning twice in the 2021/22 Cyclo-cross World Cup’s US stages back in October, Vos is now ready to hang the number in Europe for the first time this winter, hoping to add another achievement to her list: winning the anticipated snow race in Val di Sole.
Vermiglio and the Val di Sole look forward to seeing Marianne Vos in action for the great return of the Cyclo-cross World Cup on Italian soil, scheduled for December 11th and 12th. "After the long season on the road I needed a few weeks off, but now is a great time to go back racing" - explained the Dutch athlete.
The winner of the 2018-19 Cyclo-cross World Cup is also curious about the snow in Vermiglio. "I've already ridden on snow, but this will be the first time we will be competing on a similar surface - analyzed the Dutchwoman -. In addition, this will be the first time ever for this race, we don't really know what to expect. The altitude of Vermiglio (1261 meters above sea level) will also be a factor: it's new for everyone and it will be difficult."
"We all know that we will be dealing with snow and cold, but our choices can make a difference: in cyclo-cross, the effort is intense from the start and it's often difficult to dress correctly. It will be very important to the proper tires and pressure, depending on whether the surface will be soft snow or more icy. The free practice on Saturday and Sunday morning will be decisive".
Among Vos' most awaited opponents are fellow Dutch riders Denise Betsema and Puck Pieterse, who represent a new generation of athletes. "Racing on the snow might bring something surprising and unexpected, also because we have never seen a race of this type in the World Cup so far. Those who have a very good technique could take advantage of their skills."
The Val di Sole weekend will kick off on Saturday, December 11th, with the first free practice session, from 14.00 to 16.00 CET, ahead of the races on Sunday, December 12th, anticipated by another free practice session (11.30 to 13.20 CET). The Women's Elite race will start at 13.30 CET, followed by the Men's Elite race at 14.55 CET.
Tickets for the event are for sale on the valdisolebikeland.com at the price of 10€. To access the event, it is compulsory to show a COVID Pass obtained exclusively following vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 in the previous six months.
