| Team | Liv Racing Xstra |
|---|---|
| Birth date | August 4, 1998 |
| Location | Geldermalsen, the Netherlands |
| What are some of your favorite places to ride locally? | In my neighbourhood, the dike is a good place to cycle. On the dike, I can clear my head. You don't have to think whether you should go left or right, you can only go straight ahead! In addition, the 'Utrechtse Heuvelrug' is nearby. This is a beautiful area with many forests and mountain bike trails. Also, this is one of the few places in the Netherlands where you can gain a little altitude! |
| Birthplace | Tiel, the Netherlands |
| Specialty | My discipline is road cycling. I am an all-round cyclist. I like it when the course is a little bit uphill. In the winter I occasionally take the mountain bike to train. |
| Achievements | My best moment so far is the prize for fighting spirit in the Amstel Gold race. I am also happy with my second place in the Baloise Ladies Tour last year. |
| What is your favorite Liv bike? | The Liv Langma. The bike responds very well to the energy you put into it. In addition, it was my first time using disc brakes, which was also very nice! |
| How did you get into cycling? | When I was young I started skating. Because there is no ice in the summer, we used to go cycling as training. There I noticed that I cycled faster than my teammates. In the winter, they would overtake me again on skates. Slowly, I started cycling more and more. My parents have always supported me in doing what I like, they have often driven me to training sessions. I still skate in the winter too! |
| What do you wish you knew when you were starting out as a cyclist? | You give up a lot, but you also get a lot in return. Because of the cycling, I often couldn't go to parties. But cycling has allowed me to meet a lot of new people and see new places. |
| What does the future of cycling look like to you? | I hope that in the future there will be more equality between men's and women's cycling. In which many new and young girls will be attracted to cycling. |
| How do you navigate rough days on the bike? What are your coping skills? | By seeking distraction. I try not to think about negative things like pain in my legs. I then look at my surroundings and think of things I do need to do. For example, focus on my breathing. |
| Who inspires you? | I don't think there is any one person in particular who inspires me. At the moment, the level of women's cycling is very high. And it is getting bigger all the time! Being part of that inspires me the most. |
| What's your secret talent? | Planning! Besides being a professional cyclist, I also have a job as a physiotherapist in a hospital. This gives a lot of satisfaction, but also requires good planning! |
| What is one thing you learned about yourself last year? | 2021 was a year with highs, but also with many crashes on the bike, which was also a low point. Those crashes have taught me to look always on the bright side. After a fall, I tried not to dwell too much on the unpleasant side, but to look ahead to new challenges. |
