After the Giro Donne and the Tour de France Femmes Annemiek van Vleuten also has the Women's Vuelta won in 2022. After five stages, the Dutchwoman from Team Movistar triumphed in the overall standings with a lead of 1:44 minutes ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) and 2:11 minutes ahead of Demi Vollering (SD Worx). Behind them, Liane Lippert (Team DSM) was the best German in fourth place, 2:34 minutes behind van Vleuten.
Van Vleuten lays the foundation for stage 2
The 39-year-old van Vleuten had already won the women's Vuelta last year. She laid the foundation for her new triumph on Thursday's 2nd stage around Colindres, when she crossed the finish line 2:16 minutes ahead of the day's runner-up Elisa Longo Borghini.
"It was a very nice race, especially because we put in a great team performance this week. Ultimately, a team time trial like the one on the first day is the best example of teamwork, but especially on the second day the girls did a great job and prepared the terrain perfectly so that I could make the most of it," explained van Vleuten after her triumph at the women's Vuelta.
Women's Vuelta: The final standings in the overall standings
- Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women) 12:21:46
- Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) +1:44
- Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) +2:11
- Liane Lippert (Team DSM) +2:34
- Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Suez Futuroscope) +2:43
- Ane Santesteban (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) +3:03
- Ana Shackley (Team SD Worx) +3:07
- Elise Chabbey (Canyon/SRAM Racing) +3:29
- Juliette Labous (Team DSM) +3:35
- Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM Racing) +3:38
Team Trek-Segafredo won the team time trial at the start, stage 3 went to Grace Brown (FDJ Suez Futuroscope), Silvia Persico (Valcar - Travel & Service) won stage 4 and Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) won the final stage on Sunday.
The women's Vuelta points classification went to Silvia Persico, the mountains jersey to Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) and the SD Worx team won the team classification.
Different status than in men's cycling
Unlike in men's road cycling, where the three major national tours in France, Spain and Italy traditionally set the tone, the Challenge by la Vuelta has serious competition from other tours with six stages each.
The British Women's Tour is regarded as an exemplary organisation and the newly created Tour of Scandinavia through Denmark, Sweden and Norway also aims to establish itself in the Women's World Tour.
Van Vleuten is travelling optimistically to the World Championships
After her triumph at the women's Vuelta, van Vleuten now has the World Championships on the programme. The Dutchwoman is travelling to Australia with optimism. "After five weeks without a competition and without the opportunity to compare my form with that of my rivals, you always have doubts, but I'm going to the World Championships with a clear conscience and I'm convinced that I can maintain the level I've reached here."
