On 8 July 2007, a 20-year-old Dutch prodigy – already wearing the rainbow jersey as world champion – claimed her first stage win at the Giro d’Italia Women in Correggio. Fifteen years later, in the 2022 edition, that same rider took victories in Olbia and Bergamo, notching up her 31st and 32nd wins at the Corsa Rosa. With 32 stage victories, Marianne Vos is the most successful rider in the history of the Giro d’Italia Women, almost doubling the tally of the next name on the list, Germany’s Petra Rossner, who won 18.
And honestly, how could it be any different? Vos is quite simply one of the greatest cyclists of all time. Olympic champion, three-time world road champion, winner of just about every classic on the calendar – she has racked up over 260 career victories on the road. But what sets her apart is that her dominance extends far beyond one discipline. She’s been Olympic and world champion on the track, has worn the rainbow jersey eight times in cyclocross, and in 2024 added a world title in gravel to stay perfectly in step with the evolution of the sport.
She always comes back to the Giro d’Italia Women with joy. She’s raced it 12 times and is about to start her 13th in the colors of Visma | Lease a Bike, a team she’s tied to with a “lifetime contract”, meaning she’s free to stay for as long as she chooses to race, and at 38, retirement doesn’t seem to be an option yet. Just consider her 2025 form: second at the Sanremo Women, fourth at both the Trofeo Binda and Paris-Roubaix, and two stage wins plus the points jersey at the Vuelta a España in May.
Her hunger to win and relentless pursuit of excellence make her a true icon of the sport. “I don’t have any secrets. What I try to do is always commit fully and work well. I have a great team that supports me on and off the bike. Every time I pin on a number, I give it everything. I believe nothing is ever guaranteed. The victories I’ve had matter, yes, but they shouldn’t make me feel like I’ve done it all. On the contrary, I always need to look forward,” Vos said not long ago.
It’s a perfect snapshot of her mindset, one that fans at the Giro d’Italia Women will get to witness once more, as she chases victory and adds new records to her already legendary legacy.