Former Tour of Flanders winner Marianne Vos not racing Sunday to direct focus on family after father's death

Marianne Vos, the legendary Visma-Lease a Bike rider and former Tour of Flanders winner, will not be competing in Sunday's Ronde van Vlaanderen. The team confirmed her absence, stating the decision was made to allow Vos to focus on family following the recent death of her father, Henk Vos. This marks a significant withdrawal from one of the sport's Monuments, where Vos was expected to be a key contender, having only two race starts this season due to recovery from iliac artery surgery.

This withdrawal, while understandable given the circumstances, carries considerable weight for both Vos and the Visma-Lease a Bike squad. Vos, a three-time world champion and multiple Monument winner, has endured a challenging period, battling back from debilitating iliac artery issues that severely curtailed her 2023 season and delayed her 2024 start. Her absence from Flanders, a race she won in 2013, deprives the peloton of one of its most formidable and experienced figures, leaving a tactical void for her team and altering the dynamic of the women's peloton's biggest spring classic.

Vos's decision underscores that even for the most dedicated athletes, some priorities transcend the peloton. Her absence is a loss for the race, but a necessary pause for a rider who has given so much to the sport, reminding us that even the greatest have lives beyond the bike.