Ladies Grace Verbeke looks ahead to the Vuelta Femenina

“We’re heading into this Vuelta with a strong team,” Grace says. “With a mix of experience and young talent, we hope to go as far as possible. Audrey De Keersmaeker and Anna van Wersch already rode the Tour last year and bring the necessary experience for a stage race like this. They’re passing that knowledge on to our young talents like Dina Boels and Maureen Arens, who has just returned from injury.”

Among others, De Keersmaeker proved last week that she’s in good form, taking an impressive 13th place at the Brabantse Pijl. At the same time, the first part of the season hasn’t been without setbacks. The team is still missing Katrijn De Clercq after a serious crash at Le Samyn, in which she broke her chin.

The Vuelta features a top-level field this year, with names like Demi Vollering (FDJ – SUEZ) and Emma Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek). “That’s a list that commands respect, with both GC contenders and strong outsiders,” Grace says. “But we certainly don’t need to feel inferior. We’ve raced against these top riders several times this spring and proven that we can hold our own.”

This year’s Vuelta offers a varied route with mountain stages, hilly rides, and sprint opportunities. The most eye-catching stage is the very first: a team time trial in the heart of Barcelona. “With the team we’re bringing to the start, every stage is a chance,” says Grace. “We’re taking it day by day and trying to get the most out of it. In the general classification, we want to go as far as possible with Audrey, with Anna playing an important supporting role. We’re also targeting the sprint stages with Anna and Lea Lin Teutenberg, while Audrey and Romina Hinojosa are our key riders for the climbs.”

Photo: Brecht Steenhouwer