Annemiek van Vleuten talks about her retirement: "Preparing for the big goals is what I will miss the most"
Cycling
Annemiek van Vleuten sat at Humberto's table on Monday to look back on her career. Her world title in Wollongong was taken as a characteristic event for her cycling career.
During the World Championships she won in Australia, Van Vleuten rode around with a broken elbow. Three days before the road race, the Dutch cyclist had crashed during the Mixed Relay. "How did I deal with that? Well, you go to the hospital, where you are told that you don't need surgery. Then you think: well, maybe it will work out. You should not focus on what has happened, always look at what is possible."
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"The national coach was helpful. She has often seen with me what is possible. I decided not to sip, even though my dream was shattered. This was my last chance at the world title. I thought: maybe I can still help Marianne, then I will come home from the plane with a better feeling."
Ultimately, Van Vleuten would win the road stage after a late attack. And her dream still came true. "That title is somewhat characteristic of my career. I have often had setbacks that I had to overcome, often in orange. Here it all came together in three days."
Van Vleuten does not yet know what she will do in the near future. What she will miss and already misses is getting the most out of yourself. "I announced my retirement when I no longer saw any areas for improvement. My lists kept getting smaller. Preparing for the big goals is what I will miss the most. When I said goodbye, it already hurt a little," she ends.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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On Sunday, we said #GraciasMiek to a wonderful person and a legendary athlete. Our world is a bit emptier without you from today onwards. Enjoy what's to come, champ. Dankjewel. 🥹🤗🩵
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