Why Marianne Vos will have 'huge advantage' of re-inflating tyre system on her Visma-Lease a Bike machine at Paris-Roubaix
Published 12/04/2025 at 14:13 GMT+1
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The women take centre stage on TNT Sports and discovery+ on Saturday, with the riders taking to the cobbles of northern France at Paris-Roubaix. Lotte Kopecky of SD Worx-Protime is the favourite, but she will face a challenge from the likes of Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) who could have a technological advantage on the cobbled roads that are a big part of the race.
Marianne Vos of Team Visma-Lease a Bike pictured before pictured at the start of the women's race of the 'Paris-Roubaix' one day cycling race, 148,5 km from Denain to Roubaix, France, on Saturday 12 April 2025.
Image credit: Getty Images
Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) will have a "huge advantage" after it was revealed the Dutch rider will be using a re-inflating tyre system at Paris-Roubaix.
The women take on the ‘Hell of the North’ on Saturday afternoon, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, and Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protim) is the favourite to defend the title she won 12 months ago.
Vos is viewed as a big threat to Kopecky, and the Dutch rider will have the benefit of what is widely viewed as a technological advantage on her bike.
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Visma have crafted a system where riders can change the pressure of their tyres while in the saddle, which will be of huge benefit as they come on and off the cobbled sections that are part of Paris-Roubaix folklore.
"It is a re-inflating system which Visma-Lease a Bike have within their bikes," former rider Dani Rowe said on The Breakaway on TNT Sports.
"It is basically a system within the hub where there is a little tube that is connected from the valve to the handlebar, which means the riders can change their tyre pressure on the road."
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Vos used the system to her advantage when beating Kopecky in the Gravel race at the World Championships in 2024.
"It is something Marianne Vos used when she won the World Championships Gravel race, and beat Lotte Kopecky in the sprint," Rowe said.
"There was an interview after, where Lotte Kopecky said I had no chance as I could hear the tyre pressure going back up, which will make a bigger difference as you go back onto the asphalt from the cobbles. It is going to make you faster."
While Rowe confirmed Vos would have the tyre system on her bike, it is not clear if her team-mate Pauline Ferrand-Prevot will also have it in play.
"We know for sure Marianne Vos is using this system," Rowe said. "We don’t know about Pauline, but it is going to be a huge advantage to her and the team to be able to change the tyre pressure on the road."
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