‘An emotional moment’ – Marianne Vos reveals what it meant to wear yellow at inaugural Tour de France Femmes

After being at the forefront of championing a Tour de France Femmes, Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) tells the Eurosport GCN Cycling Show that wearing the yellow jersey at the inaugural edition in 2022 was an “emotional moment”.

Vos won Stage 2 and Stage 6 as she rode in yellow for five days in France before relinquishing the overall lead to eventual champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) on the penultimate day.

“It was something special. And to be honest, I couldn’t even think about that feeling or about the expectations,” the 35-year-old said.

“We didn’t really know what to expect. So when it was there and when it was bigger than expected and [bigger than] all could dream of, putting on yellow was definitely something really special.”

The Dutch rider has consistently been at the forefront of improving cycling for women and says that while it can be difficult to see the growth when competing, she believes it has improved since she first started out.

“While you’re in it, of course, it’s sometimes difficult to see [the growth] because it’s a constant growth,” she said.

“If I look back 10 or 15 years, it’s such a big difference. So many races live on television. Fans are able to follow it from all over the world. But the level is really high. So nearly every week there is very tough competition. And for us as riders, that’s why we do it. That makes it even more beautiful.”

On her own personal growth, the Dutchwoman said: “You’ll have your ups and downs and that’s part of it, but you also know that when you keep going, when you get from the lower point, it’s always worth it to work.

“I just enjoy it. It doesn’t feel like a sacrifice to train or to work. I’m grateful for this possibility. So that’s why I’m still around, maybe.”

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