Marianne Vos

Marianne Vos, ( pronunciation ) (born 13 May 1987) is a Dutch cyclo-cross, road bicycle racer, mountain bike racer and track racer who has drawn comparison to Eddy Merckx as being "the finest cyclist of [her] generation".

After winning a junior European and world championship in road racing, she continued in senior cycling by becoming world champion in cyclo-cross and road racing at the age of 19. Vos added track racing world championships when she won the points race in 2008 and the scratch race in 2011. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, she won the gold medal in the points race; in the 2012 Summer Olympics, gold in the women's road race. She is a 3 times World Road Race Champion – in 2006, 2012 and 2013 – and 7 times World Cyclocross Champion – in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Early years

Marianne Vos was born in 's-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant and lives in the small village of Meeuwen. She started her career when she was six years old after she watched her older brother who was already a cyclist. At first she trained with her brother's team as she was not allowed to participate in races; during the winter she started training in cyclo-cross as well. When she was eight, she was able to ride races. Vos also participated in speed skating and inline speed skating. At 14 she replaced inline skating with mountain biking.