Anne Knijnenburg will make her debut at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes this summer, after being named in the VolkerWessels line-up for the biggest race on the women’s calendar. The 23-year-old from Berghem is still working her way back from a knee injury, but her consistently aggressive racing and recent results have helped secure her place in the squad.
Knijnenburg has been a key contributor to VolkerWessels’ strong spring campaign. Her attacking riding has repeatedly forced other teams to chase, creating opportunities for her teammates to pick up results. While she’s often played a selfless role, she’s also delivered eye-catching results of her own. In addition to a standout 4th place at the Trofeo Oro in Euro, she finished 2nd overall at the Tour Pays de la Loire in France, underlining her ability to perform across different race profiles.
Speaking to DTV Nieuws, Knijnenburg said that riding the Tour had been a clear target at the start of the season, but she hadn’t expected the opportunity to come so soon. “It’s really a dream come true, because the Tour has always been top of my wish list,” she said.
Her attacking style was on full display earlier this spring with animated rides at both Milan-Sanremo and Brabantse Pijl, where she featured in the breakaways. Those efforts were instrumental in shaping the race and giving her teammates the chance to finish fresher or in better positions.
Still, it almost didn’t happen. A knee injury meant Knijnenburg was off the bike for three weeks and unable to train normally. To stay active, she returned briefly to running – the sport she pursued before cycling – while her teammates raced on. “That was frustrating,” she admitted. “I’d have understood if the team hadn’t picked me, because I’ve had that three-week gap. But I’m really happy they’ve put their trust in me. That means a lot. We all believe it’s going to work out.”
VolkerWessels heads to France without a designated GC leader, giving freedom for riders like Knijnenburg to target breakaways or stage results. “We complement each other well,” she said. “Maybe someone can do something special from an early move, and we also have some riders who are fast in a sprint. We’ve got a lot of different cards to play.”
The opening stages in Brittany are expected to be her best chance to make an impact. The punchy terrain and shorter climbs play to her strengths, while the mountainous stages later in the race will be about staying in the race. “It’s a tough parcours,” she added. “I’ll be looking to make the most of those early chances.”
