Anna van der Breggen: "I'd like to play my own chances in the Worlds' road race"

Anna during the interview | Photo: © Yolanda Álvarez

Now that you're among the top riders in the world, why did you keep such a low profile during your very first years as professional? I mean, 2012 was a breakthrough year for you, having a huge jump when it comes to your results. Perhaps you weren't completely focused on cycling before that?

Yeah. Before 2012 I also did study. That year I started training more and became more serious about cycling, because I really wanted to see how far I could go. That's why I raced very well that year, then you start learning more and more, becoming better every year, and so I chose last year to go to a bigger team. In a team like this you can learn more and become even better.

Not sure if it was only rumours, but I read at the beginning of 2013 that you had already had some offers from big teams. However, you decided to stay in Sengers Ladies Team, a small squad. Which was the reason?

That's true. Well, Sengers was at that time a really nice team, a small one indeed. I could learn a lot with the team, I could be the leader without competition from other teammates and it was also good as a combination with my studies. I wanted to start small and then seeing other options.

So now you felt it was the time for the big change.

Yeah, last year I already felt I was ready to go to a bigger team. There was a big search to see which team would be the best for me, until I found Rabobank - Liv, and now I'm very happy to be a part of this team.

Which are the advantages and disadvantages of being in such a big team? Sometimes, perhaps, you may have more opportunities, as everybody is focusing on Marianne and that gives you more freedom, but other times you have to work for her, as you already did in the Worlds with the national team these two last years, so there might be good and not so good things about that. What do you think?

I think you have already answered the question yourself [laughs]. Yes, sometimes it's an advantage, sometimes it's not. Sometimes you can ride for yourself and get a really good help for your teammates, other times, even if you feel really good, you can't do that, but other teammates can go for their own chances. It's nice to work with them anyway, not all are advantages but overall it's very good. For instance, today I'm very happy for Pauline [Ferrand-Prevot, winner of the stage], which is also good.

In fact, after Marianne started riding road races this year, all the team apparently started performing better as a whole as well. Does her influence have something to do with this?

No, I don't think so. I think it has more to do with the fact I've reached the age to be stronger and I feel ready for it. It's the same with Pauline, every year she was going better and better and this is being her breakthrough season. I think we've reached good shape at the same moment and the results come from that.

The Giro Rosa is coming within a few weeks. Are you going to ride it?

Yeah!

Do you feel you can be the leader of the team for the Giro, or those high mountains could be too much for you?

It's difficult. Those mountains are different, we have to see how everybody's doing there, we have to see on the first climb who is the best and then decide for whom we're going to work.

Before the Giro, I suppose the Dutch national championships are a big goal for you.

Yeah, it's definitely a goal. The circuit is not as hard as last year's, it's flatter, but it's still a big goal. There will be a strong competition from other teams as well, so it's gonna be hard. It's always nice to wear the national jersey, we'll try to keep it in the team and I hope it can be me [laughs], but everybody wants it. It's going to be an interesting race.

Are you going to try the ITT national championships as well?

Yes, yes.

Now that we're talking about time trials, I feel that last year you were a stronger rider overall compared to the year before, however, you looked like a more proficient time triallist back in 2012. Not sure if it's only my impression or that's true...

Last year I didn't ride many time trials. The best ones for me are those a bit harder, with lots of corners and hills. This year is the same, even here in the Bira there's no ITT anymore and that's a pity, I think. Anyway, I didn't do the national ITT in 2013 and this year I'm doing it to keep my time trial skills developing. We'll be also doing the World's team time trial, so you have to keep working on your position on the bike. The Nationals' circuit is not really suited for me because it's too flat, but it's always good to keep practising the discipline.

Regarding the Worlds' TTT, do you think Rabobank - Liv could win it? I think the team has a chance to, at least, challenge the Specialized - lululemon dominance this time.

I think so, yes, also because Ellen [van Dijk] is gone from lululemon. We have strong girls and we can definitely go for the win, but it has to go all good, everything needs to be perfect all the time. It's going to be hard but I think we have a big chance.

What about the Worlds' ITT? Would you like to try it as well?

No, because it's too flat, there are no big hills. It's an easy circuit and I don't think I can reach a podium place then. I have to ride the TTT and the road race, it would probably be a bit too much so that's why I've decided to focus on those races and skip the ITT.

Photo: © RaboLiv

Would you like to have freedom to play your own chances in the road race? I think these last two years you deserved at least a medal, but you had to work...

Yes, of course! In those years... well, it was my first Worlds in 2012 and that was big enough, I think it was good that I had that role. This year is different, I feel stronger, and I think we're going to see during the race what happens. I know Marianne better this time than the years before, we can discuss it and then we'll see. It also depends on the national coach and all the national team.

It's a bit like Rabobank - Liv, the Dutch national team is too strong.

Yeah, but it's not all about the team, also about other strong girls. For instance, we'll have to race against Pauline, who is very strong and the moment, so it's different from normal races. We have a strong team indeed, but it's not easy, though.

Different from normal races and also particularly fun to watch for us spectators. I remember last year when the women's race was probably the funniest and most exciting race among all the Worlds' categories, really nice to watch. And by the way, I don't know if you read about this fact, but you made a higher average speed than the elite men.

Oh really? Wow, well, it was a shorter race, with better weather, they had some rain, but that's still very nice. It was a hard race anyway and I hope this year will be interesting as well.

Not that you mention the bad weather, last year you had a really good performance here at the Bira with dreadful weather, it was really, really bad. Now there's a nice weather and you're going fine too. Of course everybody prefers good weather, but do you see yourself as being particularly good at riding with rain and cold?

Hmmm... I think for the team it's good when it's raining. Sometimes I feel a little bit scared on the downhills, but lots of girls are so I think it doesn't really matter for me if there's good or bad weather. Some of my teammates, very good descenders like Lucinda, Marianne or Pauline would like lots of rain but it doesn't really matter.

Do you think the downhill skills is something that can be trained?

Definitely, yes! Of course, this year I'm using a different bike than last year. I'm getting better on the downhill, it's important to keep on practising with this bike to get the right feeling. My teammates are helping me a lot with this so it's going fine.

You're currently 3rd on the provisional World Cup classification. Are you going to fight for it or it's not a really big goal?

I'm not really looking for a classification, because we also have some flat races like the one in Germany [the Sparkassen Giro Bochum] that are not suited for me. I'm doing my best on every World Cup race but you can't really do more.