Retired Chantal van den Broek-Blaak receives warm send off at Dutch national championships

Former world champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak received a belated send-off at the start of the Dutch national championships road race on Saturday morning, after retiring in February.

Van den Broek-Blaak, who rode for SD Worx-Protime, announced in February that she was pregnant with her second child, and would not be returning after maternity leave. She previously had her first child in 2023, and made a return to racing.

She is the outgoing Dutch national champion, after winning the road race last June – her final victory as a pro – and the peloton gave her a guard of honour at the start of this year’s race in Ede, where a new national champion will be crowned.

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“Outgoing Dutch champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak got a legendary end to a career for the history books,” her former team SD Worx-Protime wrote on Instagram.

Van den Broek-Blaak herself also posted a throwback Instagram post bidding farewell to her time in the national champion’s jersey, which she only wore in competition once, in last year’s Giro d’Italia Women, which would end up being her final road race.

“I was allowed to wear the red-white-blue 3 times! But I have the most beautiful memories in Arnhem last year with my lovely daughter Noa and my husband Lars at the finish line!” she said.

“With a second child on the way, I couldn’t show the jersey this season. And on Saturday it’s officially no longer mine, but the beautiful moments remain! Looking back at a great time.”

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During her career, which started in 2008, Van den Broek-Blaak wore the Dutch national champion’s jersey three times, with wins in 2017, 2018 and 2024. She was also world champion in 2017, and won races like the Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche and Gent-Wevelgem across a long and successful career.

She re-signed for one final year in 2025, saying she wanted to give it “give it one final push in the national jersey”, but said goodbye early after announcing her pregnancy.

At the start line in Ede on Saturday, she was joined by her daughter as the peloton honoured one of Dutch cycling’s most decorated riders.