Marianne Vos was determined not to make the same mistake again after she was disqualified after crossing the finish first at the PostNord Vårgårda WestSweden Road Race on Sunday, lining up at the Tour of Scandinavia with a firm reminder on her handlebars not to use the banned 'puppy paws' aero position.
The reminder came in the form of two stickers, located on the flat handlebar top where she leaned into the ‘puppy paws’ position briefly during the decisive attack at PostNord Vårgårda.
They boldly read ‘NIET LIGGEN!’ meaning "Don't lie down', a reminder to the rider not to go into the puppy paws tuck again after her disqualification on Sunday.
The photographer who took a close up photo of the message was none other than Vos' brother Anton.
The move, which displayed characteristic humility from the rider with such an enviable palmares, caused some amusement within the peloton.
Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek-Segafredo) who was awarded victory at the PostNord Vårgårda WestSweden race after Vos was disqualified, took to Twitter re-posting the picture of the message on the bars with the comment “Love it”.
Whether or not the taped message was a reminder or a way for Vos to make fun at her own expense or to own a rare blunder, it appeared to help her in the opening stage of the Tour of Scandinavia.
Vos ,who said her aim for the day was "to race well and do something for the team", helped her teammate Amber Kraak to take the mountain jersey before winning the sprint that decided stage 1.
The stage in Denmark wound its way north from Copenhagen to Helsingør, ending with three local laps. It was a bunch sprint finale, with the teams of the fast finishers keeping a firm grip of the field to discourage any attacks.
As the riders started to sprint, Vos popped to the front just after the final corner and launched, delivering a turn of speed that no others could outpace.
Vos threw her bike forward on the line to comfortably cross first, and this time it was a win she got to keep.
