“I didn’t expect to hold it to the finish” – Inge van der Heijden in disbelief after stunning solo win at European Championship 2025

Inge van der Heijden delivered the ride of her life in Middelkerke, storming to the European Championship title after a dominant solo display that stunned even the pre-race favourite Lucinda Brand. The Dutch rider led from the first climb to the finish line, securing an eighth consecutive European crown for the Netherlands and her own first major elite championship jersey.

The 26-year-old exploded out of the blocks on the opening ascent, reaching the top of the steep sand ramp first before immediately settling into her rhythm. “I knew it was really important to get a good start,” Van der Heijden explained after the race. “You immediately hit a steep climb, so I went all-in towards the first corner, reached the top first, and then settled into my own rhythm. It was really tough to open that gap in the first lap. I didn’t expect to be able to hold it all the way to the finish, but I’m so happy that I managed to do it.”

As Brand, Sara Casasola and Aniek van Alphen scrapped for silver behind her, Van der Heijden never faltered. Her consistency through the sand and composure over the technical descents proved decisive, allowing her to extend her lead lap by lap until the title was all but assured. By the time she raised her arms at the finish, emotion and disbelief were written all over her face.

“Hopefully I can keep going like this,” she smiled. “The first races of the season were good, and the most recent ones too, but I just missed out on the podium a few times. I knew this course, with the sand, would suit me, but I still can’t quite believe I’m the European champion. It means so much to me.”

Van der Heijden, already a former U23 world champion, now joins an illustrious list of Dutch winners that includes Brand, Fem van Empel and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado from recent years. Her victory continues the Netherlands’ extraordinary stranglehold on the women’s European title, stretching back to 2017 — but this time, the gold went to a new name.

“I’ve already won a world title in the under-23 category, but this year my goal was to make the podium at either the European or World Championships,” Van der Heijden said. “Now I’ve got the jersey. I’m so happy.”

For the quietly spoken rider from Schaijk, it was a defining day — one where preparation, patience and self-belief finally came together on the biggest stage of her career.