An exhausted Vos enjoys her phenomenal teammate Markus: "Riejanne was still able to kick it into gear"

Marianne Vos experienced a different race in Strade Bianche on Saturday compared to her victory a week earlier at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The Dutch cycling star from Visma | Lease a Bike didn’t have the legs to keep up with the best riders in the final stages of Strade Bianche. Fortunately, her teammate and friend Riejanne Markus had an outstanding day, ensuring a positive outcome. IDLProCycling.com caught up with both women at the team bus post-race.

Firstly, Vos, who was considered one of the favorites, saw her chances fade in the finale. "This is a race that doesn’t lie. If you can’t keep up, you’re simply not good enough. I only realized this after I got dropped, though it had already been tough before that. The group was getting smaller, thinning out gradually. The race was hard-fought, and it takes its toll in the finale. I had to let go on Le Tolfe, hoping until then that I was just good enough. It speaks volumes that the winner (Lotte Kopecky, ed.) said it was a tough race; it must have been a challenging one."

Vos appeared to be in good shape for a long time, but when the early break was caught and Markus fell back to the group of favorites, a brief exchange between the two was enough. "We've been racing together for so long, we obviously know each other's strengths. I was spent towards the end, but I could see Riejanne was still able to kick it into gear. She even managed to break away from our group, finishing a commendable seventh. We hope to be in the finals together in future races too, as it really enhances the excitement of the competition."

Markus acknowledges that Visma | Lease a Bike didn't hit the mark perfectly this time

Markus agrees that she felt prepared to attack and make a significant impact in the finale. "I knew I was in good shape, especially after a strong performance at the Tour of Valencia. I was looking forward to this race, and the tougher it is, the better I perform. I hoped Marianne would be in better form, but we can’t always perform perfectly. The strategy was definitely to go with the attacks. After last week, Marianne was clearly our leader, which gave me the opportunity to get ahead. That was our attempt."

After a brief exchange, Markus knew she had the green light to race for herself in the finale. Vos understood immediately. The big question remains: what if Markus hadn’t expended so much energy with her move in the breakaway? "Keeping up with Kopecky on such a course at this time is a tall order, so I don’t think I could have stayed with her without being in the break. I just felt good and gave it my all. This was the ideal scenario for me," she confidently states.

Vos and Markus, the dangerous duo for Flanders?

With Vos shining in the Omloop and Markus excelling in Strade Bianche, Visma | Lease a Bike is well-positioned for the upcoming classics. "I’m heading to an altitude training camp next, in preparation for the April classics. It’s great to be back in form after last year, though expectations might have been very high following the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. You can’t expect to compete for the win every week. I’m happy with where I am and how we're racing," Vos reflects.

Markus is ready for the upcoming classics to be as challenging as Strade Bianche. "When it's wet, those sectors are incredibly tough. You can’t just sit in the wheel and coast; you need to produce power. It was a very tough edition, with lots of climbing. A challenging day, but that’s what makes it beautiful. I don’t really look at my Garmin during such a race. I’ve ridden this event so often, I know it all by heart. I prefer to race on instinct," she mentions. Vos, after a demanding day, agrees. "The way the race unfolded today was simply beautiful."