After a cyclocross-free winter, Marianne Vos prepares for season debut in Strade Bianche

Marianne Vos hasn't raced on the road this season yet, but that won’t be for much longer. The living cycling legend will don a race number again for the first time since the Gravel World Championships (October 2025), coincidentally also in a race over unpaved roads: Strade Bianche.

The 38-year-old Vos was a noticeable absence from the cyclocross scene this winter. In an interview with NOS, she revealed why she skipped the season. "I had a different winter than usual. Skipping the cyclocross season was already a consideration at the start of last season, but it was also due to family circumstances. My father was in the hospital, and that’s where your focus goes. I wanted to be there for him."

As a result, the three-time road world champion experienced a different winter than normal. Yet the bike remained an important part of this challenging period. “It’s usually a daily routine. You consider where you can improve and what training to do. Now I mainly had to find time to be able to ride and at the same time relax."

Vos spent the past weeks on the Spanish island of Tenerife, where she could prepare in good conditions for her first road races of 2026. At Strade Bianche, the moment will come: the Brabant rider will race competitively again.

Focus on Ferrand-Prévot
According to team director Jan Boven, Visma | Lease a Bike will start the Italian classic with a strong squad. "We couldn’t wish for a better team for this race. Pauline (Ferrand-Prévot, ed.) and Marianne have had a solid training block on Tenerife. That looked really good. Femke and Sarah also worked hard there and are ready to step up."

The team is chasing a successful start to the Italian block with Ferrand-Prévot designated as the leader. "Strade Bianche is the first race in a block of great events. After Strade follow the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Milan-San Remo, where the focus will shift more to Marianne. We have a well-mixed lineup and hope to show great things in Italy," Boven looks ahead in a press release.