Van Vleuten: Tour de France is my big goal, Giro and Vuelta need to 'step up'

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 05: Annemiek Van Vleuten of Netherlands and Movistar Team celebrates winning the red leader jersey on the podium ceremony after the 7th Ceratizit Challenge By La Vuelta 2021, Stage 4 a 107,4 km at stage from As Pontes to Santiago de Compostela / @ChallengeVuelta / #CERATIZITChallenge21 / on September 05, 2021 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Annemiek Van Vleuten on the podium of the 2021 Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta (Image credit: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

As Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) rolls out the reborn Tour de France Femmes it is quickly becoming the most high-profile event of the season, prompting many of the best riders in the world to make the maillot jaune their primary target in 2022.  

Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) is among them, having told Cyclingnews that the Tour de France Femmes (July 24-31) is her major goal of this season and that she is impressed by the detailed planning, route reveal and the overall media package that ASO has presented to the women’s peloton. So much so that she is now undecided on whether she will compete at the Giro d’Italia Donne (July 1-10) and Challenge by La Vuelta (September 7-11) that have not yet published route details.

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.