"I feel sorry for Shirin": Dutch national coach confused by strange actions of Yara Kastelijn

The home Gravel World Championships were a clear demonstration of the Dutch national team's overwhelming strength. But also of a disharmony among its key riders, something that was underlined in the final kilometer of the race in Limburg.

Shirin van Anrooij attacked with 10 kilometers to go and seemed to be on her way to victory as the gap stabilized at 15 seconds to the chasing group where Czech rider Julia Kopecky was giving it her all for Dutch sprinter and her trade team colleague Lorena Wiebes. But the SD Worx rider would not be able to close the gap in time. Until Yara Kastelijn suddenly attacked from the back of the group, bridging the gap to Van Anrooij with Wiebes and Marianne Vos in her wheel. Then it was a formality for the fastest woman in the peloton.

"Two kilometers before the finish, I thought: she (Van Anrooij, ed.) has it," Ten Dam told NOS about his experience of the final. "That turned out not to be the case. How do I feel about this? I really feel for Shirin. I'm really disappointed for her. You want her to win. Even after the race she rode."

Why does this happen? "There are ten Dutch riders out of twelve. They all want to become champions. I didn't select them with a clear mission, because they self-select through a qualifying competition. That way, you can't perfectly execute the team approach, like last week at the European Road Championships (where Demi Vollering won, ed.). Eight riders participated there. I give them a mission. If you don't agree with it, you don't participate."

The same could not be applied today. "Here, everyone rides for themselves. In the final, you have to play it out so that a Dutchwoman becomes champion. But that doesn't change the fact that I feel incredibly sad for Shirin. I also have to be happy for Lorena. For her, it's a fantastic championship, of course. But when you, as Shirin, have it all in your hands and it just slips through your fingers, I understand that you're devastated for a moment."

Van Anrooij was in particular shook by the fact that it was her own compatriot ruining her best shot at a world title. The 23-year-old rarely ask for leader's role herself, selflessly working for her teammates at both European and World Championships in past two weeks.

"I understand that," Ten Dam responded. "We didn't ride with a clear assignment here, and then you might end up with something like this. I still need to speak to Yara; I'm curious. I think they had a really good bond as roommates at the World Championships. I think she ultimately just went all out for her own chance in the final. It wasn't like she had a teammate from her team there either."

On the other hand, the main goal of winning in front of the home crowds was completed. It is not a clean podium sweep since Silvia Persico snuck onto the podium, but Lorena Wiebes did not falter in the decisive sprint. Although Ten Dam admits Van Anrooij would've been a fitting world champion too.

"Of course, I'm happy for Lorena. But I have to be honest, I first went to Shirin. I've been working hard on this Gravel World Championship with Lorena. Wiebes and Vos ultimately finished first and second, and I think they showed their strength on the climbs, so in that respect, it's a fair result. But how things went in the last two kilometers is obviously disappointing for Shirin."

Speaking to WielerFlits' camera, Ten Dam emphasized that he understands why Van Anrooij is upset. "She's been a fantastic team player these past two weeks, so I understand why this is so frustrating. That's why I was the first to walk over to her after the finish."

Besides being the national coach for gravel, Ten Dam is also the national coach for the elite women's road race. In that role, he wants to discuss the events at the World Gravel Championships with Kastelijn and Van Anrooij. "This shouldn't be allowed to fester on the road. We'll be making some calls there. This shouldn't affect the road team next year."