Eight-time cyclocross World Champion Marianne Vos could be making an unexpectedly early return to the discipline this winter after recovering well from iliac artery surgery undergone in August.
The 36-year-old originally planned to avoid the winter cyclocross season and instead rebuild her base for 2024, her 19th season in the peloton. However Jumbo-Visma race coach Jan Boven has now indicated that we may see the Dutchwoman on the muddy trails before winter is over.
'She [Vos] is on her way back after quite a major operation. The idea was not to ride cross this winter, but things are actually going very well now. So who knows, but the focus is on the road," said Boven to the Dutch website In de Leiderstrui after the Urban Cross in Kortrijk this past weekend.
Vos has been back on the bike since October after being forced to end her road season in August due to a second round of iliac artery surgery in a year.
The pain worsened throughout the season with the pinched artery also causing a lack of power in her left leg, prompting Vos to go under the knife for a third time to resolve artery issues.
“Last week I underwent surgery on my left iliac artery. After some days in the hospital, I am currently back home to start a careful recovery and rehabilitation program of 10 weeks. Obviously, this means the end of my 2023 season,” said Vos on Instagram in the summer.
“My biggest hope for now is to be able to return to competition without symptoms. I would love to continue riding and racing at the highest level and will surely do my utterly best to be back.”
Vos was unable to defend her cyclocross world title last season due to a similar surgery, and despite winning two stages and the points classification at the Vuelta Femenina, it was an uncharacteristically winless July for the most accomplished rider of all time. She twice finished second at the Giro Donne and missed out on a third Tour de France Femmes stage win with three top-five finishes.
Since her surgery, Vos has provided regular updates on her Instagram account with the latest detailing a two-week training block in Mallorca where Vos said she was “happy with the increase of fitness” just one month after getting back on the bike.
Vos also announced in October that she had changed coach from Louis Delahaije to Jumbo-Visma Sports technical manager Rutger Tijssen, who has been in charge of the Dutch squad’s women’s team for over a year.
Boven has been a race coach for the women’s team since they reshuffled in September and has also been looking after current cyclocross World Champion Fem van Empel as she continues to dominate the cross season. Van Empel is currently unbeaten this season with eight wins from eight.
When Vos won her first off-road world title in 2006, Van Empel was only three years old, but the 21-year-old has more than taken up the mantle of dominating the cyclocross field in Vos’ absence.
“Fem is the future,” Boven said. “We know Marianne's capabilities and fortunately we make great use of them.”
