'If family life doesn't suffer I'll continue for longer' – Ellen van Dijk on return from childbirth
Dutchwoman eyes Olympic medal at Paris 2024, doesn't rule out aཧnother go at the hour record

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Ellen van Dijk will return to the pro peloton in 2024 after giving birth to her first child in October. Sheඣ hasn’t raced since the Chrono des Nations in 2022 and will be 37 come February, but believes next season won’t be her last.
The three-time World Champion in the time trial will target the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Paris Olympics TT next year having nar📖🔜rowly missed out on a medal in Rio 2016 with fourth and not raced in Tokyo where compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten took gold.
Van Dijk also credited the example set by Lidl-Trek teammate 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lizzie Deignan regarding having children during her professional career, and the support given to both of them by the American side. The Dutchwoman did state that family would always come first, despite her desire to continue through to at🐠 least 2025.
“My teammate Lizzie Deignan, winner of the cobbled classic 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Paris-Roubaix, gave me a good example. She has two cꦗhildren and knows how to combine that with🍌 cycling,” said Van Dijk to .
“Lizzie and I experience the full cooperation of our American Lidl-Trek team. Staying active during pregnancy is go🌞od for mother and child. I had littl☂e trouble with pregnancy ailments. Faas [her son] was born at home and is doing fine.
“If family life does not suffer because of the sport, I will probably continue for longer, even𓆉 after 2024. If I manage to get an Olympic medal, that does not mean♒ that I will put the bike away.”
Van Dijk was part of a group of Dutch women’s riders that recently went to view the road ra𝓀ce and time trial courses for Paris next year. ౠ;
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It’s no given that Van Dijk will be on the start ramp as she needs to qualify ahead of two compatriots, likely to be 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Demi Vollering and Riejanne Marku💃s. The time trial specialist was, however, already eyeing her wider com🤪petition for July.
“The time trial section made me happy. Flat, wide with long, s🌱traight sections. Made for me,” said Van Dijk. “The American Chloé Dygert and Marlen Reusser from Switzerland are my main rivals. The daily, tough training sessions are already exceeding expectations. Rain or shine."
She wants to be present at the home start of the 2024 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tour de꧂💧 France Femmes in the Netherlands, but isn&rsq꧂uo;t♉ certain what will come before or after the games, with that likely to be decided by the team who head to their training camp in Calpe next week. Van Dijk will be in the area with her husband and son.
“It is not yet entirely clear what my competition program will look like after that💯. I wo🥃uld like to ride the Tour de France immediately after the Games,” she said.
“With the first three stages around Rotterdam. Stage 3 is an individual time trial of over 6km in Rotterdam – 🎃my speciality. Who knows, maybe the yellow leader's jersey will come into view.”
During her time away from competition, Van Dijk also 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:lostജ her hour🧸 record crown to Vittoria Bussi, after the Italian reached new frontiers in the Velodromo ꦦBicentenario in Aguascalientes, Mexico and became the🐎 first woman to break the 50km mark.
Van Dijk set her record in May 2022 in Grenchen, Switzerland and didn’t rule out a second crack at the painful race against the clock. She even ꩲbelieves the childbirth experience may help her in her efforts.
“I know her,” V꧙an Dijk responds. "It's great to ride faster than 50km per hour. I reached 49,254km at an altitude of 451 metres. During time trials I usually set it at around three minutes,” said Van Dijk.&n🌃bsp;
“I cannot rule out that I will attack the record again. After all, after giving birth I have an even higher pain threshold. Alt🔯hough in Switzerland it was not easy to have to starꦬe at the black line for 197 laps of 250m. On a high-altitude track, I might also be able to achieve more than 50km.”

James Moultrie is a gold-standard NCTJ journalist who joined Cyclingnews as a News Writer in 2023 after originally contributing as a freelanc𒐪er for eight months, during which time he also wrote for Eurosport, Rouleur and Cycling Weekly. Prior to joining the team he reported on races such🅠 as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport’s top riders in Chloé Dygert, Lizzie Deignan and Wout van Aert. Outside of cycling, he spends the majority of his time watching other sports – rugby, football, cricket, and American Football to name a few.