Ladies The Vuelta Femenina kicks off today and Thalita de Jong looks ahead

Having just completed three weeks in Spain - "Enjoyed some good training but also relaxation," - Thalita de Jong appears particularly relaxed as she lines up for the eight-day Vuelta Femenina in Valencia. "It's always interesting to see how training translates into racing," she says. De Jong has high expectations for this Vuelta: "There are a few sprint stages on the schedule. I had some decent results in sprints last spring, so I hope to be competitive here in Spain as well. The very last day finishes uphill, and I'm curious about that too. It's going to be tough considering the field, but I'm looking forward to measuring myself against the others."

De Jong had a strong spring, consistently finishing within the top 15. But she's also bringing lessons from that part of the season into this Vuelta. "I need to be more daring. For instance, in Le Samyn, I often thought 'I'll save my energy for later,' but looking back, I realize that if I had made a move earlier, I might have caught the leading group and finished closer. I need to stop assuming that someone else will do the job. That's a lesson I want to apply here in the Vuelta. I'm also curious about what we can achieve as a team. For example, we've never done a team time trial before. We haven't even practiced for it."

"I'm mainly hoping for a consistent Vuelta in Spain. Not taking too many risks in the time trial, showing myself in the sprints, focusing on my own performance uphill, and trying to be competitive in all terrains. That's what I'm aiming for. With any luck, I might secure a good overall ranking. If that doesn't happen, it's a lesson for the Tour de France, helping me identify areas for improvement. But let's hope for the best-case scenario (laughs)."

Pictures: Unipublic/CXCLING/Alex Barasategi