No Marianne Vos at Cyclo-cross Worlds: Visma | Lease a Bike rider sidelined with calf injury, Van Alphen takes her spot

The Dutch cycling federation announced in a press release that Vos will not compete in France. "Of course, we’re incredibly disappointed," said national coach Gerben de Knegt. "As an eight-time world champion, we would have loved to see Marianne contend for another title, though we knew it would be tough after her crash. We wish Marianne a speedy recovery!"

For the 37-year-old Vos, the entire winter season was centered around the World Championships in Liévin. Vos returned to cyclo-cross after a two-year hiatus at the World Cup in Besançon, where she impressively finished fifth despite starting from a poor grid position. Fourth-place finishes at the Dutch National Championships and the Spanish World Cup in Benidorm fueled optimism, but her crash in Maasmechelen derailed her campaign. Vos managed to finish 13th in the Belgian World Cup race but sustained a calf injury in the process.

Despite her injury, Vos started the next day at the World Cup in Hoogerheide. After a strong start, she pulled out after less than one lap. Running sections were particularly difficult on her, and during the barrier jumps, her calf injury flared up again. So she did not finish the lap. After that setback, Vos monitored her condition for a few days and was initially included in the Dutch selection. However, on Tuesday, she made the difficult decision to withdraw. The primary goal of her winter season is now off the table, and Vos will shift her focus to the road season, which begins for her on February 13 at the Tour of Valencia.