Anna van der Breggen to make return to pro cycling! Cycling legend to race for SD Worx after Demi Vollering's departure
Cycling
Team SD Worx - ProTime have called for an urgent press conference this Thursday to present exciting news for the world of cycling. But the cat is out of the bag: Cycling legend Anna van der Breggen is returning to pro cycling three years after retirement according to sources.
This has been reported by reputable Dutch source NOS. The press conference was only announced yesterday and will take place today at 18:00CET, but the reason for this is seemingly not private anymore. Huge news were expected, with some rumouring a new title sponsor or the merger with a men's team, but NOS report that the reason is van der Breggen's return.
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The former Dutch pro is perhaps, together with Marianne Vos, the most notable rider in women's cycling history. This is not by chance, the 34-year old is an Olympic Champion (2016 Rio de Janeiro), double World Champion (2018 and 2020), four-time Giro Rosa winner (2015, 2017, 2020 and 2021); winner of classics such as the Tour of Flanders WE, Strade Bianche and perhaps most impressively a consecutive seven-time winner of the Flèche Wallone - having won every edition between 2015 and 2021.
At the end of the 2021 season, aged 31, she decided to retire from pro cycling despite being at the top. "I’m not quitting because I don’t like to ride anymore; in the end I like riding my bike but without the pressure of having to do it, needing to train, needing to be good for the first race," van der Breggen had said in an interview with Rouleur back in 2021. "It’s relaxing to ride the bike in a way I never did before."
But she did not leave cycling, remaining with the team where she spent the last years of her career: Team SD Worx - Protime. She became a Sports Director immediately and helped the team into success that became even bigger; being behind the wheel in meaningful wins of riders such as Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes.
After three years behind the wheel she is set to make a return to the peloton. Over these years she did not stop cycling and, with her natural talent and still relative young age (Annemiek van Vleuten retired at 40 last season), she could still very well be competitive at top level. As the team is set to say goodbye to Demi Vollering at the end of the season, van der Breggen could end up being the unexpected new leader for next season.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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Women's Individual Time Trial podium: 🥇 Annemiek van Vleuten 🇳🇱 🥈 Marlen Reusser 🇨🇭 🥉 Anna van der Breggen 🇳🇱 #Tokyo2020 #自転車ロード #CyclingRoad
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