CYCLING – Track and road cyclist Maike van der Duin will not be in action for the time being. The 22-year-old Assense broke her fibula and tibia during a training internship with her Canyon-SRAM Racing team in the United States earlier this month. This also means that she will miss the European Track Cycling Championships, in two weeks in Apeldoorn.
In the absence of Van der Duin, Lorena Wiebes won the title in the elimination race section at the National Championships on Thursday. The SD Worx road racer defeated Marit Raaijmakers in Apeldoorn in the sprint for the title. The bronze went to Juliet Eickhof.
Due to the absence of her regular partner, Raaijmakers will compete in the pairs race with Wiebes. Van der Duin’s absence is a concern for Nick Stöpler, the national coach of the endurance cyclists. Raaijmakers and Van der Duin are the main candidates to represent the Netherlands at the Olympic Games next summer.
Van der Duin already won World Cup silver in the Olympic omnium event in 2022. Together they normally also compete in the pair race in Paris, the other endurance component.
Stöpler hopes that Van der Duin will at least be able to participate in Nations Cup matches in Milton, Canada in April.