Anna van der Breggen is in high demand. Playing the role of the odds-on favourite of the Women's WorldTour means that organisers want her on their start lines and fans of the sport want to see her racing – and since winning the world title last September – wearing the rainbow jersey throughout this season widens her appeal.
It's a fact, however, that Van der Breggen can't line up at every race on the calendar. She has to pick targets that align with the interests of Boels Dolmans, while she also pursues some mountain biking, and so organising her calendar is an exercise of communication.
Van der Breggen hinted in February that she would skip the Tour of Flanders, a race she won last year, of which she confirmed to Cyclingnews on Wednesday. She said that she needs to recover after the gruelling effort required to win the Cape Epic mountain bike stage race alongside her teammate Annika Langvad. Their "adventure", as Van der Breggen called it, ended on March 24, less than two weeks ago.
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But the critics in cycling might say that the world champion and defending champion of the Tour of Flanders should get her priorities straight and that the biggest one-day race on the women's calendar should take precedence over her new-found fun in mountain biking. They might also argue that her absence on the start line in Oudenaarde isn't good for her team Boels Dolmans.
The critics make valid points; however, each rider comes to agreements, contractual or otherwise, with her team and team manager ahead of the season. Van der Breggen has explained, and not for the first time, that she has the full blessing of her team to pursue a specific race plan, which fits with both her objectives and with those of Boels Dolmans.
"If I did not have good communication with my team then I wouldn't have been able to race the Cape Epic," Van der Breggen told Cyclingnews.
Flèche 5 is not a priority
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/anna-van-der-breggen-in-high-demand
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