Chantal van den Broek-Blaak has confirmed her retirement from professional cycling following the news that she is expecting her second child. The 35-year-old, who had planned to race for one more season in 2025, will now step away from the sport earlier than intended.
“It took some switching, but there is no better reason to quit top-level sport,” Van den Broek-Blaak said.
A decorated career spanning 17 years
Van den Broek-Blaak has been a mainstay in the peloton for nearly two decades. Her crowning moment came in 2017 when she soloed to victory at the World Championships in Bergen, Norway. Alongside the rainbow jersey, she amassed an impressive list of major wins, including the Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche, Amstel Gold Race, Gent-Wevelgem and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Since 2015, she has ridden for Boels-Dolmans, which later became Team SD Worx-Protime, playing a key role in the team’s recent dominance.
Following the birth of her daughter Noa in May 2023, Van den Broek-Blaak returned to the peloton last season. “That was not an easy year,” she admitted. “Mentally, I had to get used to balancing motherhood with top-level sport. I rode good races, but the stability was missing. Winning the Dutch national title was a nice highlight and showed I could still compete at the highest level.”
Determined to have a farewell season, she had been looking forward to 2025. “I’m now 35 and wanted to go out on a high. At the training camp in December, I was hitting good numbers in the tests and finally felt like myself on the bike again. I was eager to race in the Dutch champion’s jersey for one more year. Then in early January, we found out I was pregnant again. It felt strange at first, but I quickly realised how lucky I am. This is what life is really about. My farewell season won’t happen, but winning the Dutch title last year was the perfect way to say goodbye.”
Team SD Worx pays tribute
Team SD Worx-Protime manager Erwin Janssen expressed his happiness for Van den Broek-Blaak while acknowledging the impact of her departure.
“We are very happy for Chantal that she is expecting her second child. We were still looking forward to a great final year for her on the bike, but the happiness of pregnancy is the most wonderful thing for her. We look back with pride at all we have achieved with Chantal over the last ten years. She has been one of the best cyclists in the world for many years, with the 2017 world title as the absolute highlight, of course. She also became one of the team’s key figures. That she managed to win the Dutch title again last year after her first pregnancy shows what a special cyclist she has been.”
Van den Broek-Blaak had announced a contract extension for 2025 late last season but will now step away from racing for good. It marks the end of an era for SD Worx, who have now lost two long-serving leaders in quick succession following the retirement of Christine Majerus.
