Ellen van Dijk believes her legacy is already set: "If I quit now I’m happy with what I achieved"

The now 35-year-old Ellen van Dijk is aware her time in the peloton may be nearing its end. The reigning world time trial champion is confident her legacy will stand the test of time.

Speaking to Cycling News, van Dijk admits that just the fact she's at the point of her career where people are asking about her legacy is in itself strange. “Because it’s crazy for me to think about that, that’s why it’s weird,” she explains. “I mean, I’m really happy with what I’ve done so far, particularly as the Hour Record has always been a big, big dream race for me. Then to win another World Time Trial title was the best and I just have such a passion for time trialling and it’s also my speciality, so I’m really happy I have a nice palmares in that speciality.”

Having achieved so much in her career, the pressure is off somewhat as the end nears. This is something the Dutchwoman has herself realised. “I definitely feel very relaxed now and I hope I can stay like that. Before I was feeling frustrated, like I was always saying, ‘I want to do this’ and/or ‘I still want to do that but it’s not working, why is it not working?’ But now I feel like I’ve reached what I wanted and what’s coming afterwards is a bonus,” she says.

“I had the same mindset for the Australian Worlds, so I know it works very well. Of course I’m still working hard, it’s not like I’m doing anything less in my training. But it feels more like, well, if I quit now I’m happy with what I achieved.”