At the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on Saturday, Marianne Bos of the Netherlands will attempt to win her fourth world title in elite women's road racing. It has been six years since she last won a world title in road racing, and while the intervening years have been tumultuous, she is steadily regaining her best form.

Vos told a small group of reporters the day before the event that the classic-style course suited her characteristics and that she was still hungry to win the rainbow jersey.

"I don't think the course was made specifically for me, but I have to agree that it should suit me. 'Especially if you look at the local laps, which are technical and without rhythm. The finish straight is uphill and I'm happy with the course."

The women will travel 150km from Bradford, heading north to Masham in North Yorkshire before heading south to the undulating three-finish circuit at Harrogate. Rain is expected, which could make the course treacherous, especially on the local circuit.

"The World Championships are always nerve-wracking, and when it rains, you never know what can happen. 'Fortunately we've already had a lot of rain so it won't be too slippery, but there's always the risk of crashing in the rain.'

"It's always nerve-wracking because it's the World Championships. You are always nervous at the front and there are always dangers. You always hope that the best riders end up in front. I think this course is hard enough to make the difference."

Vos is part of an eight strong Dutch team that includes defending champion Anna van der Breggen, Annemiek van Vleuten, Chantal Black, Florche McKay, Lucinda Brand, Amy Peters, and Demi Volering. She is one of the team. Vos declined to say whether she was the leader, pointing instead to the overall strength of the team.

"I'm not going to talk in detail about tactics, but obviously we are a strong team and we have a lot of different cards. We have options for different scenarios."

Vos won her first elite women's road race title in 2006 in Salzburg, Austria, at the age of just 19. She went on to win silver medals in five consecutive events before taking the rainbow jersey in Valkenburg, Netherlands in 2012 and Florence, Italy in 2013. She said every title was important.

"The first title was very special," she said. The second was special in front of my home crowd, and the third was very special even though I wasn't at my best. Every victory is different and always special in some way. Over the years I have enjoyed the process as well. It's not just about focusing on the work and winning. I am still successful because I enjoy the journey to victory and being at my best."

Vos, 32, said that when he won his first elite road world title 13 years ago, he never imagined he would achieve such success in his career. He also did not expect his career to last as long as it has.

"It wasn't at that moment," he said. 'I never imagined I would have this kind of career. Of course, I love cycling, and I never thought I'd end my career at 25; I can't believe it was 13 years ago. It's hard to believe it was 13 years ago, and I have teammates almost the same age. It all happened so fast."

Vos says he is still hungry to win, but he handles pressure differently and perceives success differently.

"I'm more relaxed in that there is no pressure; when I was 19 I had nothing to lose, but now I have nothing to prove." [27] [28] "The desire [to win] hasn't changed; I was worried that after two or three years I would get bored. But I'm not. I believe I have a chance. "

This year, Vos proved to be one of the most dominant riders of the season with stage wins at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Tour de Yorkshire, and the OVO Energy Tour. She also took four stage victories at the Giro Rosa, as well as wins at Le Tour de France La Course, the Ladies Tour of Norway, and this week's Tour de l'Ardèche. She also said she gets a kick out of giving her best in her sport.

"It's a thrill, in that moment, under that pressure, to be at your best, to be at your best, to race for your country. ' said the boss. Of course things can go wrong, but that's the excitement I'm looking for."

Voss had been away from the sport for nearly two years, beginning with a hamstring injury that led to a prolonged period of overload and fatigue. She made numerous attempts to return to top form, but just as she felt she was improving, her symptoms returned.

"It took a long time," she said. I had to stay calm, confident, relaxed, and not give up." That was the biggest battle.

It was early in the 2017 season that Vos began to show glimpses of her former form, with top finishes in the classics and wins in the BeNe Ladies Tour, the European Championships, and the Ladies Tour of Norway. 2018 season saw her win the Ladies Tour of Norway, finishing the season with an all-stage win and an overall win. Entering this year, she was arguably the most dominant rider of the season.

"Steadily, I kept believing I could get back to this level," Vos said. I couldn't have imagined what this season would bring. It took patience and persistence. It took time. I kept working and kept the faith."

Vos attributed his success in part to his new coach, Luis Delahaye, who also works with Annemiek van Fruten at Mitchelton Scott.

"He deals with each and every one of us. We've been working together for almost a year now." We have a long-term schedule, we talk, we have trust and a long-term plan, so it's nice to work that way. He's an important part of my success."

After the Yorkshire World Championships, Voss will continue to build her form with her sights set on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She has also signed a contract with her CCC-Liv team until the end of 2020.