After a fall, she seemed to have no chance for the overall victory during the European beach racing championship in Dunkirk, France. But then Tessa Neefjes from Wervershoof ‘believe’ on the top tube of her beach bike, she regained her motivation. She chose the right path, overtook the leader just in time and was crowned the best in Europe.
Tessa Neefjes is an all-rounder on the bike. Mountain biking, gravel and competitions on the beach: the all-rounder tackles everything. Earlier this year she already won the Dutch mountain bike championship and several World Cup gravel races. The World Cup ended in a minor but on Sunday a new high followed.
For a long time there was little prospect of success. A crash threw her back into the race. “I flew over and my chain flew off, so I was busy for a while.”
16 bones broken
It’s a miracle in itself that she can compete with the best. During a training in the Ardennes, things went completely wrong about 6 years ago. “A truck came on my side of the road. I broke my back and broke a total of 16 bones,” she previously told NH News.
After her accident, she had a necklace and bracelet engraved. It says ‘Believe’. “I think that’s such a beautiful and strong word. Whatever happens: always keep believing. It’s kind of become my motto.” The seven letters are also applied to her beach bike. She took a look at her bicycle after the fall and regained her strength when she saw the spell. “Tes, come on!”I thought after the crash.”
Thanks to a dose of motivation, good form and choosing the right track, she overtook leader Nina Kessler just in time to finish it off in the last meters.
“I still don’t understand how it worked out,” says Neefjes a day later. “And I think it’s really great that I can ride in the European jersey for a year during beach races. With mountain bike races, this is already the case with the jersey of the Dutch championship. This is still missing for the gravel races, but that is the goal for next year .”