Annemiek van Vleuten, has unveiled a new museum in Renkum dedicated to her remarkable cycling career. Situated above Mastbergen bike shop, a short ride from her hometown of Wageningen, the museum holds trophies, leader’s jerseys, and personal memorabilia, offering fans an intimate look into her decades of racing success.
The museum came about through a practical necessity. Speaking with Omroep Gelderland, she said: “Previously, a lot of my cycling memorabilia was kept at my mother’s house in Vorden,” explained Van Vleuten. “I was literally sleeping in my own trophy room there. But my mother decided to move, so we needed somewhere else. Now it’s here in Renkum, close to Wageningen, which makes it extra special for me.”
Early days: the first bike and first wins
Among the exhibits is Van Vleuten’s very first race bike—a steel-framed model she started riding when joining her first cycling club in Wageningen. “It was my bike for my first year racing, and only after that did I buy my first proper race bike—a Koga,” she recalls.
That first Koga carried her to significant early achievements. In 2010, Van Vleuten broke onto the international stage by winning the Route de France. It was her first significant stage race victory, despite initially doubting her climbing ability. Recalling the oversized leader’s jersey awarded to her, she laughed: “It was about ten sizes too big, but still special.”
Iconic victories: from Flanders to La Course
A key exhibit commemorates her first major classic victory in 2011 at the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Van Vleuten reflected on the decade-long gap between her two victories there: “I won Flanders in 2011 and again in 2021. The trophy from that first win is incredibly special.”
Her museum also showcases the jersey from her memorable World Cup victory in 2011. Winning three rounds—Plouay, Sweden, and Flanders—she notably ventured to China for the series finale, bravely contesting sprints against world-class specialists like Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Kirsten Wild. “I wasn’t a sprinter, but I still went for it. It remains one of my proudest jerseys,” she explained.
Giro glory and La Course drama
Of her 104 career wins, four Giro d’Italia Donne victories stand out prominently. Yet Van Vleuten admitted there could have been even more Giro titles. In 2017, she narrowly missed victory, finishing second, and in 2020 crashed out while leading the race.
The museum doesn’t shy away from these challenging moments. “I still carry the scars from that Giro crash,” Van Vleuten admitted, candidly recalling her broken wrist from the incident.
La Course, another prestigious event on display, features prominently. Her dramatic 2018 triumph, overtaking Anna van der Breggen just metres from the finish, remains etched in cycling lore. This came just after an exhausting Giro victory, emphasising her determination.
Olympic highs and lows on display
Perhaps the most iconic piece in the collection is the unpainted Olympic time-trial bike from Tokyo 2021, intentionally stripped of paint to save 200 grams. Van Vleuten explained the significance: “This was the bike I held aloft after winning Olympic gold. I chose to leave it unpainted for maximum weight efficiency.”
The museum doesn’t overlook the painful side of her Olympic experiences, either. Her devastating crash during the Rio 2016 Olympic road race and her remarkable return just four weeks later—winning the Lotto Belgium Tour—is presented as part of her narrative of overcoming adversity.
Equally notable is the story from the 2022 World Championships, where Van Vleuten crashed in the mixed relay event days before the road race. Remarkably, she bounced back from injury to claim the world title, achieving victory despite racing with a fractured elbow.
