Hey Marianne

Marianne Vos, what can I say? The Dutch star is going through something of a renaissance right now, and rightly so. She is perhaps the greatest female bike racer of all time.

Here are a few lines from a chat we had a while back

ST; You’ve raced and won either Olympic, World or National titles in most disciplines of the sport (Road, CX, track, MTB), which is now becoming more popular to do. Was there any reasoning in you mixing it up?

MV: I just like the different disciplines. Already as a kid the club made a combination of road in the summer and cyclo cross in the winter. I liked it because you were doing something different all of the time; the training was different the competition was different – I felt hungry for another discipline after a season, and then ready for another after that season.

When I moved from junior to elite my former coach said; “Maybe track cycling is good for you, maybe you will improve your level and become more complete.” 

Then with mountainbiking, I’d tried that earlier – training with the national coach, he encouraged me to try and said maybe I’d like it.

I’ve always enjoyed the different disciplines, trying new things challenging myself, and learning new things.

ST; Is there any of the different disciplines that you enjoy more than the others?

MV; It’s the difference I enjoy. I enjoy to go outside, so if I have to be honest although track cycling is very fast and I really liked the points races I did because of the “game” -when do I use my energy, do I go for a lap, wait for the sprints, but, I didn’t like to train inside. I wanted to go outdoors.

The other disciplines are so different that I think it’s good to mix them when you’re younger, and it’s also possible later on. But of course then you have to think about the planning; when do you take a rest, when do you focus training on one or the other.

ST; Do you ever just go and ride for fun, or is it always training?

MV; I have a good relationship with my coach, we talk a lot about training, and he understands that I’m at my best when I’m fresh and happy and so sometimes it’s very much into detail, and sometimes – after an off period it’s more about the freedom of just riding, and that balance is something I think he knows pretty well what I need