AFP
NOS Cycling•
Dylan van Baarle and Annemiek van Vleuten have been chosen as the Dutch cyclists of the year 2022. At the cycling gala in Den Bosch, Van Baarle and Van Vleuten received their trophy digitally, because they are at a training camp.
Van Baarle trumped Mathieu van der Poel, Fabio Jakobsen and track cyclist Harrie Lavreysen in the election, among others. His solo performance in Paris-Roubaix in April this year and second place in the Tour of Flanders are the reasons for his election as cyclist of 2022.
Van Baarle addressed the room, where Jan Janssen, Erik Breukink and Tom Dumoulin, among others, watched, from the training camp of his new Jumbo-Visma team in Spain via a video connection. “It was an incredible spring. You work hard for that. I couldn’t have dreamed that it would turn out like this. I was already very happy with my second place in the Tour of Flanders and two weeks later I managed to do such a solo in Paris-Roubaix.”
Watch how Dylan van Baarle won Paris-Roubaix and finished second in the Tour of Flanders here:
Next season Van Baarle will drive for his new Dutch employer Jumbo-Visma alongside some big names, such as Wout van Aert.
“I think that with Tiesj Benoot and Christophe Laporte we have four very strong men who can all win the classics. We will have to exploit the strength of the team.”
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Jan Janssen in the hall at the cycling gala -
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Gerrie Knetemann Trophy, Keetie van Oosten-Hage Trophy and the Gerrit Schulte Trophy -
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Dylan van Baarle on the big screen at the cycling gala -
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Annemiek van Vleuten on the big screen at the cycling gala -
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Tom Dumoulin and Niki Terpstra were put in the spotlight because they said goodbye to the peloton this year
In the women’s race, only one cyclist could actually win: Annemiek van Vleuten. The 40-year-old Movistar leader was crowned road world champion for the second time in her career in September. In the months before, she had already won the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and the Vuelta à España. This spring she also took the victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and finished second in the Tour of Flanders.
Her world title victory in Australian Wollongong was especially impressive. With a broken elbow, she came back in the last kilometer and rode away from the strongest sprinters in the leading group.
Watch here how Annemiek van Vleuten conquered the world title in Wollongong:
Van Vleuten, who was nominated together with Lorena Wiebes, Ellen van Dijk and Marianne Vos, among others, was awarded the Keetie van Oosten-Hage trophy for the second year in a row, she also won the prize in 2017 and 2019. On Wednesday, Van Vleuten was nominated for Sportswoman of the Year.
Van Empel cycling talent of the year
The Gerrie Kneteman trophy for the talent of the year went to 20-year-old Fem van Empel. The cyclo-cross rider won six World Cup competitions this year and took the European title. The third prize winner of the evening was also unable to attend the ceremony. Van Empel was injured at home.
Her race in Italy at the tenth World Cup race of the season was dramatic on Saturday. In the snow of Val di Sole, she already hit her head against a post during the course reconnaissance and fell again during the race when overtaking. She did not have to go to the hospital, but two days later the damage still seems considerable.
“It is not yet going as expected,” Van Empel said via a video link. “It turns out I have a big bruise in my leg and fluid in the knees.” Van Empel also has a mild concussion. “We’ll see how the recovery goes from day to day.”
“I don’t see any consequences in the long term,” says Van Empel with a view to the NK cyclo-cross, which will take place on January 14 and 15 in Zaltbommel.
