“We sometimes worry about the generation that is coming,”
says Joost van Wijngaarden. Fewer people are obtaining permits to race, and
only a small fraction of the potential cycling talent is being nurtured.
The drop in permit holders is around 10,000, despite
research suggesting there are as many as 200,000 people in the Netherlands who
could be passionate cyclists. “We have an ever-shrinking pond to cast our rod
in,” van Wijngaarden explains. The next Mathieu van der Poel or Puck Pieterse
could be drawn to other sports like rowing or hockey because cycling has not
been made attractive enough for them.
Thijs Zonneveld shares these concerns with
Wielerrevue,
noting that Dutch cycling has become increasingly reliant on a few standout
riders. “Think of Dutch cycling without Mathieu van der Poel, and you suddenly
have a near-crisis,” he said. Without Van der Poel, the sport’s profile and
success would suffer immensely. It’s worth noting that the Dutchman has been in
superb form over the past few seasons, as he has dominated the cobbled classics
and has may rainbow jerseys to his already legendary name.
Zonneveld warns that this dependency on a handful of riders
like
Van der Poel and
Marianne Vos highlights how unique the period from 2013
to 2024 has been for Dutch cycling. He argues that reforms are necessary,
including lowering the barrier to entry for races and solving logistical
issues, such as the shortage of police motorcycles that is preventing races
from happening in the Netherlands.
With cycling's future in jeopardy, van der Poel's presence
is more crucial than ever. Without him, and legends like Mariane Vos, Dutch
cycling risks falling into a rut it may struggle to climb out of. But, for a
country with such a rich history of cycling, this is surely a problem that can
be addressed adequately.