'Personally, I’m also here to make progress as a stage racer' – Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Visma-Lease a Bike focussed on stage wins at La Vuelta Femenina

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot leads the Visma-Lease a Bike team at the upcoming La Vuelta Femenina, with the Dutch squad primarily targeting stage victories throughout the seven-day race. Although Ferrand-Prévot, the reigning Tour de France champion, had high hopes for the spring Classics, finishing second in the Tour of Flanders and 22nd in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, she is now shifting her focus towards stage racing as she prepares for the Tour de France Femmes in August. The French rider emphasises her personal ambition to develop as a stage racer, aiming to contribute significantly to the team’s success in Spain. Visma-Lease a Bike’s directeur sportif Jos Van Emden acknowledges that Ferrand-Prévot is still adapting to the demands of Grand Tour racing after a spring season concentrated on one-day Classics. He highlights the importance of the Vuelta Femenina as a crucial preparation race, offering the Frenchwoman a full week of competition to regain her stage racing form. Van Emden is optimistic about the team’s prospects, underlining the need for collective effort to secure stage wins, which remain the squad’s primary objective during the race. Alongside Ferrand-Prévot, the team boasts a strong lineup including Marianne Vos, who is chasing her seventh stage victory at La Vuelta Femenina, and Sarah van Dam, fresh off a solid performance at the Amstel Gold Race. Van Emden points to the early stages of the race as particularly suited to their ambitions, with Vos expected to be heavily marked by rivals but still a key contender for stage finishes. Van Dam’s consistent spring form adds depth to the team’s tactics, providing additional options to contest stages and support the overall strategy. The Visma-Lease a Bike roster is further bolstered by promising talents such as 20-year-old Briton Imogen Wolff, French rider Marion Bunel, and Dutch cyclists Lieke Nooijen and Maud Oudeman. This blend of experienced leaders and emerging riders reflects the team’s dual focus on immediate success and long-term development. As the race unfolds, the squad’s performance at La Vuelta Femenina will be closely watched as an indicator of their readiness for the season’s highlight, the Tour de France Femmes.