Vos hunting gold in women's Olympic road race

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Marianne Vos (The Netherlands), despite only being 25-years-old has only a few items missing before her cycling palmares can be considered complete. She won gold in the points race at the Beijing Olympics but this year it’s the gold medal in the London Olympic road race she is desperate to obtain.

Vos was crowned road world champion in 2006 however, since then she’s come agonisingly close to repeating that victory but without success. It’s been five years of coming second in the sport’s biggest annual race - the world championships - so now that the Olympic Games are finally here, Vos is adamant she doesn't want to finish in the runner-up spot again.

"It will be a tough race but I do not think I can be satisfied with silver or bronze," Vos told Reuters.

The Netherlands will field the maximum four-rider quota for the women’s road race, held on the Sunday following the men’s race. Vos will be surrounded by her teammates Annemiek van Vleuten, Loes Gunnewijk and Ellen van Dijk.

Vos made a splendid return from a broken collarbone when she dominated the recent women’s Giro Donne, winning five of the eight stages and capturing the overall. Asked about her condition for the race, Vos was confident of her form.

"Am I stronger than ever? Yes, I think I can say that," she said.

Vos will ride the time trial, held just three days after Sunday’s road race. The women will cover a 29km route while the men will ride a longer, 44km course.