Ellen van Dijk will make her return to racing on the Vuelta Extremadura Féminas, held from March 8-10 in Spain. The Lidl-Trek rider hasn’t raced in 18 months, having taken time away from the game to offer beginning to her first little one, and stated that whereas a lot as modified in her life outdoors of biking, she is worked up to return to the peloton.
“I’m very excited to lastly rejoin the workforce and be again racing after round 18 months with out it. I’ve been coaching for many of that point however lots has occurred in between and a lot has additionally modified in my life outdoors biking. Whereas I’m actually completely happy to lastly return to racing, I’m additionally, in fact, curious as to the place I stand in the meanwhile,” Van Dijk stated.
“Despite the fact that coaching has gone effectively and every little thing goes based on plan, returning to racing after any period of time off is at all times a little bit of an unknown and I’ll at all times be just a little nervous to return into the peloton and have this sense once more.”
Vuelta Extremadura Féminas is a three-day race that gives a 17.2km time trial on the ultimate day in Zafra. Van Dijk, a former three-time world champion within the self-discipline, has already acknowledged her targets for the time trial occasion on the Paris Olympics and hasn’t dominated out trying one other Hour Report.
“We picked this race as my first race again as a result of it has a pleasant time trial in it, in order that’s my predominant objective of those three days. I actually wish to get again into TT mode and see the place my degree is at this second,” Van Dijk stated in a workforce press launch.
“We now have skilled lots for it already and I’m excited to trip a time trial once more, particularly in my first race again. It’s the self-discipline I really like probably the most, so I’m actually completely happy that I can get again to it right away.
“After that, it’s all about easing into it once more, getting again into the peloton, getting that race feeling again and being part of the workforce. It is a smaller race than the Spring Classics, so I’m actually completely happy that I can begin right here and construct in direction of the larger races.
“Nonetheless, on the similar time, it additionally comes with a little bit of a heavy coronary heart as a result of I might be leaving house once more. I’ve been along with my companion Benjamin, and Faas, who was born 5 months in the past. This would be the first time I actually have to go away them alone and being aside will mentally be a problem.”
After competing on the Vuelta Extremadura Féminas, Van Dijk will flip her consideration to the Spring Classics.
Van Dijk hasn’t raced because the Chrono des Nations in October 2022 however stated she has hung out coaching throughout her time away from racing. She has additionally accomplished exams whereas coaching on the monitor and has previewed the highway race and time trial programs for the Paris Olympics.
Requested by her Lidl-Trek workforce to replicate on what she has taken away from her expertise of turning into a mom, Van Dijk stated, “For certain, the ache which I skilled once I was giving beginning was one thing that I’ve by no means ever felt earlier than or may have ever described beforehand. So, when I’m struggling on the bike I can at all times assume again to that and keep in mind that it may very well be 10 instances, or extra, worse. That’s, for certain, one thing I’ll take with me. I feel I’ve additionally discovered that you could perform with lots much less sleep than I may have imagined earlier than so, if I ever have dangerous evening’s sleep, I received’t fear once more.
“After I was pregnant, we made a super plan, which, in truth, was to return again for this race. We thought this was the earliest I may come again to racing and that was additionally factoring in that I needed to breastfeed. We knew that there may very well be setbacks and something may occur, however up to now, very thankfully, every little thing has gone based on plan so, it’s now time to return to racing.”
Van Dijk additionally stated she feels ready to start racing once more and appears ahead to pinning a bib quantity on and becoming a member of her Lidl-Trek teammates on the beginning line.
“I do really feel actually prepared. I’ve skilled lots and when you begin to get sick of coaching, you recognize it’s time to start out racing once more, so convey it on.”
