Chantal van den Broek-Blaak will go to a training camp with SD Worx next week for the first time since becoming a mother, but it is difficult for the cyclist to leave her child behind.
On May 24, Van den Broek-Blaak gave birth to her first child, Noa. "Time has flown by in the last six months. We enjoy every moment with our little girl. Every day brings surprises and happiness," said the 2017 world champion on her Instagram. "We are slowly finding our rhythm again. My husband is back at work and I'm training again. It really is a team effort."
"I needed time to recover from my pregnancy, physically and mentally. And I'm not there yet," Van den Broek-Blaak admits. "Being a mother is the best thing in your life. But letting Noa go and entrusting her to others is much more difficult than I thought. Even though I know they are with loving people."
"Staying fit and healthy is also a challenge. I have never been so sick as I have been in the past three months. It feels like I've already had every baby virus," she laughs, just before her return to SD Worx. "Next week I will go back to my first training camp with the team. It will be the first time for me without Noa. I know it will be a challenge, but I am also looking forward to it."
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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