Annemiek van Vleuten: World champion to join Movistar next year

World champion Annemiek van Vleuten will join Movistar on a two-year deal from next season.

Following back-to-back world time trial titles, Van Vleuten won the world road race in Yorkshire last year after a stunning 105km solo attack.

“I’m not thinking about the end of my career yet – I’m thinking about how to improve,” she said.

“I hope joining this team, this new environment, can help me find new energy.”

After recovering from severe injuries sustained in a horrific crash while leading the Rio 2016 Olympics road race, Van Vleuten has been one of the most dominant riders in women’s cycling.

As well as her world titles, she has won the last two editions of the Giro Rosa, Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2019, and La Course in 2017 and 2018.

She won the European road race title in Plouay on Thursday and defended her Strade Bianche title earlier this month.

Van Vleuten took a pay cutexternal-link this season to help Mitchelton-Scott after the sponsors were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.