Annemiek van Vleuten watched with anticipation as the peloton stormed to the finish line of stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes, goosebumps on her arms, thoroughly enjoying herself without a trace of regret or desire to be among them.
Minutes later, she joined the crowd among the team buses, patiently waiting for the riders to return. She congratulated the day's winners, chatted amicably and gathered some intel for her appearance on Dutch TV later in the day.
Two years ago, it had been she who was wearing that yellow jersey. Now, she's on the sidelines, offering her valuable insights and expertise as a guest analyst on TV—a fitting role for a living legend.
When Van Vleuten hung up her racing wheels in 2023, she did so as one of the greatest riders women's cycling has ever seen, with four World Championship titles, an Olympic gold medal, all the Grand Tour jerseys, and Spring Classics wins to her name.
"I quit at just the right time," Van Vleuten told Cycling Weekly. "I don't miss it. I haven't regretted quitting even for a single day, not even when I see such beautiful moments or people winning."
While her contemporary and often rival Anna van der Breggen is planning her return to road racing after a short, three-year retirement, Van Vleuten doesn't see that for her future. And the Colombian Transcordilleras gravel race she undertook in February was also just a one-time thing.
"Being on the other side feels really good," she said. "I've closed that chapter."
Van Vleuten attributes this sense of closure to knowing she extracted everything she could from her body. After 16 years at the top level of cycling, she left no stone unturned and no goals unfulfilled.
"I didn't think I could get anything more out of myself, and that had always been my driving force," the 41-year-old said.
"I've never had a moment of regret because I've never had to think: if only I had done this or if only I had done that. I've always given everything 100 percent, and won the beautiful things I wanted to win."
In addition to her prolific wins, Van Vleuten was known for her utter dedication, resilience, daring solos, and the incredible number of kilometres she spent in the saddle each year—"Married to the bike," as she put it.
And after 16 years of restrictions, she's enjoying the freedom that comes with retirement.
"I barely even ride anymore—maybe once or twice a week," she said. "And I'm fine with that."
It's hard to believe when she formerly clocked some 32,000 kilometres in a year, but she says she's let it go completely. Instead, she's staying healthy and balanced with some strength training and skiing.
As for what’s next, Van Vleuten is keeping her options open. While full-time TV work isn’t on the horizon, her love for the sport remains evident, even on the sidelines.
