Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021: 'It's going to be a battlefield' - Marianne Vos ready for 'agony and enjoyment' in France

ByHarry Latham Coyle

Updated 01/10/2021 at 12:04 GMT

Vos shapes up as a potential favourite as the women ride the famous French cobbles for the first time. Having been denied by Elisa Balsamo at the World Championships, the Dutchwoman will have the full support of her Jumbo-Visma team on the run to the Roubaix Velodrome and her cyclocross background should aid her on what is likely to be a gruelling Saturday.

Marianne Vos has said that she is ready for "moments of agony" ahead of the first Paris-Roubaix Femmes.

The famous race over the French cobbles returns after a pandemic-enforced two and a half year delay with a women's race on the calendar for the first time.

There are few races on the calendar that Vos has not won and, aided by a Jumbo-Visma team who will ride in full support of the Dutchwoman, the seven-time cyclo-cross world champion shapes as a leading contender.

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After securing a sixth World Championship silver medal at the 2021 worlds in Flanders, Vos is gunning for victory at the inaugural female edition of "Hell of the North".

"It’s going to be tough in terms of conditions," Vos said of the debut running of the race and an inclement forecast.

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"We don’t know exactly how much it will rain on Saturday or if the course will be dry. In any case, it will be more difficult than during the reconnaissance.

The course will make it tougher anyway. It will be a struggle from the start to get a good position for the cobbles. Then you know it’s going to be a battlefield.

Vos has been named Jumbo-Visma's leader and will be supported by a group of riders including Great Britain's Anna Henderson.

Teuntje Beekhuis, Riejanne Markus, Jip van den Bos and Romy Kasper complete the team.

Vos has taken just one victory at the other cobbled monument, the Tour of Flanders, in her career, though she did secure her first Gent-Wevelgem crown during the spring, and her bike handling skills, toughness, and fast finish should aid her as the women's peloton gets its first chance to ride to the Roubaix velodrome.

Vos is excited to have the opportunity.

“We have scouted the course well, and it is very challenging," Vos explained of a 115.6 kilometre course containing 17 sectors of pavé and nearly 30km of cobbles.

Experience from cyclocross can be an advantage because you feel more at ease when it’s wet or slippery.

"On the other hand, it’s still a very tough race, and you still need a big bike and a lot of power.

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"When you have done the reconnaissance and you enter Roubaix you feel ‘okay, we are almost there’. The moment you turn onto the track, with all that cycling history, is so beautiful, almost magical. Of course you hope to be able to ride onto that track on Saturday.

"There will be moments of enjoyment, and there will also be moments of sheer agony. But I hope that at least after the finish, we can enjoy a very nice race.”

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