Marianne Vos to miss Tour of Flanders following death of her father
Marianne Vos will not take part in this weekend’s Tour of Flanders after the passing of her father earlier this week. The Dutch rider who won the race in in 2013 has chosen to remain with her family during this period of mourning.
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Her father had been seriously ill for some time, a situation that had already influenced much of Vos’ season. She delayed the start of her road campaign and opted out of several races in recent months in order to stay close to home. Earlier decisions to skip events such as Milan-Sanremo and Dwars door Vlaanderen were made with the same priority in mind.
Vos did make a brief return to racing in Italy earlier this spring. She lined up at the Strade Bianche (7ht) and later finished sixth at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda.
The team of Team Visma | Lease a Bike confirmed that she will also miss the Tour of Flanders, expressing their support in a brief statement.
“We wish Marianne and her family strength during this difficult time.”
Her absence leaves a gap in the team’s line up for Sunday. The squad is expected to centre around Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who will be supported by a mix of experienced riders and younger teammates.
Whether Vos will return later in the spring remains undecided, though she is provisionally listed for races such as Paris Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race.
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