"We have seen it is often a tactical mess" - Michael Boogerd thinks Dutch Women team lacks unity
Cycling
Michael Boogerd wonders whether the Dutch women's team will be able to form a unity in the road race on Sunday. In De Telegraaf, the former rider questions the mutual relationships among the riders and national coach Loes Gunnewijk.
"I'm not part of it, of course, but I don't have the impression that it's one for all and all for one with the women. That's not easy when you have so many top riders," says Boogerd, who saw a team in the men's race that was fully ahead of Mathieu van der Poel.
"Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen haven't had coffee together and Van Vleuten and Vollering aren't the best of friends either. That does not have to forge a unity, but then you do need a strong personality as a national coach. Loes Gunnewijk is not that in my eyes. We have seen too often that it is a tactical mess, mainly because there is never really clarity about who has what tasks."
On the course in Glasgow, a unity is needed, especially with Lotte Kopecky as a big rival to the Dutch team. "If they want to top Kopecky, they will have to demolish her as a team," thinks Boogerd. The analyst prefers Vollering as the leader. "Vollering showed in the spring that she can put everyone on it in grueling one-day races, that alone is a reason to put her at the top of the hierarchical ladder in this Dutch team."
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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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