It felt like she would race forever but Annemiek van Vleuten’s final race calendar has been released so we know where we will get to see the Dutch great in her retirement season. She will hope to repeat 2022’s standout wins at the Giro Donne, Tour de France Femmes and Ceratizit Challenge by taking on all of the same 3 major races, with the latter renamed the Vuelta Femenina in 2023.
With the calendar released on her own website, there are few doubts about which races Van Vleuten has planned. Provided she stays out of trouble, these races should be locked in and then maybe some flexibility on some races after the World Championships set to take place in Glasgow this season. Her season will start with Setmana Ciclista Valenciana on 16-19th February before aiming to retain the Omloop het Nieuwsblad title on February 25th. Strade Bianche follows on March 4th where she will want to go one better than last year. She will break from racing for a period then, attending an altitude training camp on Tenerife for the rest of March.
Afterwards, she comes back for the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liege Bastogne Liege – all of the major spring classics. Only a week after Liege Bastogne Liege is the Vuelta Femenina which will last for 7 days in 2023. After the Spanish race is more rest and training before taking on the Giro Donne and Tour de France Femmes. The World Championships in Glasgow is only a week or so after the finish of the French tour. Maybe if she retains her Worlds title we may see her in races with the pressure off in a farewell tour.
