Sixth consecutive stagerace success for 'Miek'

Olympic champion -with support from Sierra, Martín, Biannic, Norsgaard and Aalerud- climbs again onto Madrid podium after Santiago success in 2021, keeps building on extraordinary season with Omloop, Lieja, Giro, Tour + Spanish stagerace.

A sensational season which is even better after Sunday’s events. Padova, La Super Planche des Belles Filles and Madrid’s Cibeles square have now witnessed Annemiek van Vleuten’s domination as she claimed her second overall victory on a row -after the one in Santiago in 2021- for the Movistar Team in the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta. A success to be added to those obtained at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the two ‘Grand Tours’ in July, in an unprecedented 2022 season for the Dutchwoman and the Telefónica-backed outfit.

The success was built on yet another masterpiece, the one from ‘Miek’ on Thursday with a 30km solo action in the Cantabrian hills around Colindres, and the red leader’s jersey was successfully defended in the demanding stages to Aguilar de Campoo (Friday) and Segovia (Saturday), with Van Vleuten and her five team-mates –Arlenis Sierra (5th on Friday), Sara Martín, Aude Biannic, Emma Norsgaard and Katrine Aalerud– covering the final circuit in Madrid with no incidents to seal their triumph.

The Movistar Team is now up to 40 victories in 2022 -25 of those obtained with its women’s outfit-, as Van Vleuten -six stagerace victories on a row, unbeaten from Norway ’21 to today- gets to 97, just three short of a century, in a legendary career that has the World Championships in Wollongong (Australia) as next goal. ‘Miek’ will be aiming at the highest possible result at all three events: the individual time trial (Sunday 18th), mixed relay (Wednesday 21st) and road race (Saturday 24th).

REACTION / Annemiek van Vleuten:

“It’s been such a beautiful race, especially because we completed a great team effort all week. The first two days were really nice. To start off with a team time trial, a real time effort; also, the second day was a real team effort, the girls set it off perfectly and it’s nice to win that way, to do it together. Yesterday, on the fourth stage, to defend the jersey with my team-mates, who did so well to close such a big gap against Anna Kiesenhofer — it’s something you cannot do alone. Personally, I’m super happy with the second day around Colindres. You come to a race like this insecure, after five weeks with no competition, no racing against my main competitors. The legs I had there are a good confirmation heading into the World Championships, and further proof that I’m being able to carry on with my Tour de France shape.”