Vos heads South

Dutch sensation Marianne Vos will head to El Salvador this month as part of her preparation for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Along with her DSB Bank team, the 20-year-old who has been World Champion in cyclo-cross, road and track will tackle the GP de Santa Ana on May 15, the Vuelta Ciclista Femenina a El Salvador from May 16-21, and the Vuelta a Occidente (23-25 May).

According to telesport, Vos' team manager Thijs Rondhuis, and national coach Johan Lammerts, the races were chosen because the hilly terrain and the humidity in the Central American country will closely match the conditions in Beijing next summer. While there, she can also take advantage of the velodrome in El Salvador to prepare for the Olympic Games points race.

Vos was scheduled to ride the Tour de San Marino, but the event's cancellation forced other plans to be made.