Technique

Marianne Vos on self-belief and recovery

Marianne Vos’s numerous wins in road, track and cyclocross have far outnumbered her injuries. Still, she’s had a few setbacks, including a broken collarbone in 2018 and in 2017, both during road races, a broken rib from a mountain bike crash in 2015, as well as a hamstring injury that plagued her that year. “What kept me going was the love for the sport – I just wanted to do it. I also like a challenge,” she says. Here are some of Vos’s pointers and insights for getting through tough times.

People who support you

“I had some faith that things would get better. Luckily, I had people around me in the team, and also family and friends who supported me in what I was doing,” she says of her time recovering in 2015.

Patience and process

“I was able to take my time and slowly build up. It was two steps forward, one step back, which is not easy,” Vos says. “But, I’ve always felt that I was able to grow and improve. “I also learned to appreciate the daily things more, instead of only thinking about the next goal. I was enjoying what I was doing. This makes it easier to keep on going.”

Even the best in the world struggle with confidence

“Confidence, at times, was really not there. But, somewhere in the back of my mind I always had some hope. There were always people there to encourage me, and I still loved what I was doing. The positives in training or racing made me continue,” she says.

The outlook after recovery

“I think I’ve learned to live more in the moment, instead of only thinking about the next goal. I’m still in the process, and am enjoying the process. When there’s a win or a good result, perhaps I enjoy and appreciate that more than in the past.”