The Dutch Cycling Federation announced that Annemiek van Vleuten will defend her world title in the elite women's road race on Saturday after team doctors cleared her to race just eight days after she broke her wrist in the Giro Rosa.

Van Vleuten will ride with a metal plate surgically placed in her wrist and a special brace.

"The wrist feels great, it feels like a miracle to me, so I can't complain," Van Vleuten told Cycling News in a phone interview Thursday night after traveling to Italy.

"It doesn't hurt to ride the bike and I can handle it 100%. I have no problems with the handling of the bike and that was important in my decision."

There were concerns that a second crash could cause major complications with her wrist, but Van Vleuten denied this.

"The doctor told me that crashing again would not be a problem and would not cause any further damage," she said on Thursday.

"It's a special case, and the reason is that it's less painful. I didn't have full anesthesia. They just gave me local anesthesia, I was conscious during the surgery, and it only took 30 minutes."

"They put in a metal plate, which is stronger than before, and you can leave it in or take it out later. My wrist doesn't feel as good when I wake up, but it doesn't hurt as much and I can control the bike 100%, so I can't complain."

Van Vleuten, 37, won the world title in Yorkshire with a long solo attack and was leading the Giro Rosa when he crashed on September 17.

It remains to be seen if she can be competitive on the steep climbs of the Imola circuit, but she will be team leader along with Marianne Vos and Anna van der Breggen in Saturday's 143km road race.

Van Vleuten said that, with the exception of one day for surgery, he did not rest on the bike because of the crash. After competing in the Giro Rosa, she feels strong and believes she can bring that strength to the World Championships.

She is confident that if she competes in the race, she will have a chance to win another world title.

"The legs are still there and I have nothing to lose," Van Vleuten said.

"I'm confident, and although it felt like the season was over, it's not.

Van Vleuten has been with Mitchelton Scott for the past five seasons, but will move to Movistar in 2021.