Annemiek van Vleuten on shock World Championships win: "I was a domestique with a broken elbow and now I am world champion"
Cycling
Annemiek van Vleuten was a prime contender to take the rainbow jersey in Wollongong, but everything changed after she crashed on the Mixed Relay TTT and suffered a fracture in her elbow that put her race in jeopardy. However, despite the setbacks, the Dutch rider managed to take the title.
“I can't believe it! I'm actually waiting for someone to come to me and tell me it's not true, van Vleuten said in a post-race interview. "In the final phase I was always looking back at Marianne Vos. I felt they were not coming back. I also knew I couldn't sprint with my broken elbow. I had to attack from behind. That was the only chance I had," she said in a flash interview.
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What had happened was that van Vleuten was at the right place at the right time. After Demi Vollering was absent due to Covid-19, van Vleuten rode alongside Marianne Vos when the main moves came in the penultimate lap. The chasing group returned to the front, but van Vleuten found herself again on the backfoot after the final climb as she was dropped, and was then the only member of the Netherlands within range of a top place.
“The pain was hell. I couldn't get out of the saddle all day, I had to stay put all the time. My legs exploded on every climb. I had such a different plan for Wednesday than now… I already wanted to attack Mount Keira in the opening lap. But my race was completely different now," she explained. "Marianne was the only head lady. I was a domestique with a broken elbow and now I am world champion!”
The finale was set for a sprint as the two front groups connected inside the final kilometer. Van Vleuten attacked from the bottom of the group, and was surprisingly not followed by anyone. With the gap she quickly carved out, it was enough to hold the competition, winning in a very unexpected way.
After taking the win in 2019 in Yorkshire, this was her second World Title. “Both titles have a story, but they are very different... Actually I wanted to do a Yorkshire 2.0 today. But that was not possible due to the fracture of the elbow…”
“Now I attack in the last kilometer, a completely different story. Now I am world champion in my last year of my career," she added, noting that 2023 will be her last season in the peloton. "That's why I was so disappointed with that elbow at first. After Yorkshire I wore my rainbow jersey in the COVID year. That was not the best and most beautiful season to wear that beautiful jersey. Now I will be able to enjoy it to the fullest.”
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)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
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🌈 Time to celebrate that sensational ride! Congratulations, @AvVleuten. #Wollongong2022
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