The Dutch federation has announced the elite women’s team that will be competing at the UCI Road World Championships. Defending champions in the road race and time trial, Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten, respectively, and former three-time road world champion Marianne Vos are set to lead the most powerful team on the start line in Yorkshire.
"It is no surprise that the Dutch elite women are among the favorites at the World Championships," said the Dutch national team coach Loes Gunnewijk. "We are at the start with the strongest possible team, hopefully in the road race with different scenarios, be able to decide in our favor. Naturally, the team is enormously motivated to take home the world titles in both the time trial and the road race."
At the World Championships in Innsbruck last year, the elite women’s Dutch team started both the time trial and the road race with the two outright favourites in Van der Breggen and Van Vleuten. Van Vleuten went on to win her second consecutive world title in the race against the clock, with Van der Breggen securing the silver medal, and compatriot Ellen van Dijk the bronze.
It was unclear if Van der Breggen and Van Vleuten would work together in the road race two days later, however, as both eyed the world title in the event. But all speculation was laid to rest after Van Vleuten crashed early in the race. She remounted her bike and continued to help set up Van der Breggen for a solo victory on the mountainous parcours. Van Vleuten finished the race but was forced to take several months off to recover from a fractured knee.
Van der Breggen and Van Vleuten will once again line up as the favourites in Yorkshire, however, the 150km Classics-style course will suit a wider range of talent this year. The women start in Bradford and travel north toward Masham, in North Yorkshire, before looping back south toward Harrogate, where they complete three finishing circuits.
Vos had had a stand-out season with dominant victories at the Giro Rosa, La Course and the Ladies Tour of Norway. She will no doubt be in the running to win a fourth road world title to add to her extensive collection of rainbow jerseys in multiple disciplines.
The list for the Dutch team also includes former world champion Chantal Blaak, Lucinda Brand, Amy Pieters, Floortje Mackaij and Demi Vollering.
Sprint revelation and Dutch champion Lorena Wiebes is not on the list to compete in Yorkshire. The decision will come as a surprise after Wiebes’ success this season that saw her secure 15 victories. However, some speculate that the punchy final circuit is less suited to her capabilities.
In the 30km time trial, Van Vleuten will look for a third consecutive world title but she will once again face teammate Van der Breggen. Brand will also participate in the time trial. Van Dijk will not be racing at the World Championships this year after she sustained a broken arm and pelvis in a crash at the Boels Ladies Tour.
The Dutch team will also field a roster for the new national team mixed relay that replaces the previous trade team time trial. The women’s team will include Pieters, Brand and Markus, and the men’s team will include Bauke Mollema, Jos van Emden and Koen Bouwman.
Dutch national team selection for 2019 UCI Road World Championships
Individual time trial: (30 km)
Annemiek van Vleuten
Anna van der Breggen
Lucinda Brand
Road race: (150 km)
Anna van der Breggen
Chantal Blaak
Lucinda Brand
Amy Pieters
Floortje Mackaij
Annemiek van Vleuten
Demi Vollering
Marianne Vos
Mixed relay: (28 km)
Amy Pieters
Lucinda Brand
Riejanne Markus
Jos van Emden
Koen Bouwman
Bauke Mollema
