Ellen van Dijk today announced that she is expecting her first child in September 2023. The current World Time Trial champion will therefore miss the 2023 season and focus on a return in 2024 ahead of the Olympics.
“Benjamin and I are super excited to share the news that we are expecting our first child in September. It has always been our wish to start a family and it still feels a bit unreal to have this wish come true.
When talks about contract renewal started last year, we were already talking about my seemingly conflicting ambitions. I want to win a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but I also want to start a family. The team was immediately open to both scenarios and that was very heartwarming.
Of course it is a pity that I will not be racing my new supersonic shiny Speed Concept this year. I was really looking forward to wearing the rainbow jersey at the Tour de France Femmes and La Vuelta Femenina, but you can’t have everything. It will also be strange not to defend my time trial world title this year, but I think my mind will be elsewhere by then.
Together with Benjamin and Josu (Larrazabal, Trek-Segafredo’s performance manager, ed.), we have already started carefully drawing up a structured plan for my comeback in 2024 and for Paris.
I have not looked any further for the time being, We are really looking forward to this great adventure, but of course we have no idea how it will really turn out. Everything about this pregnancy is new to me, a lot is happening to my body and I embrace every change.”
Ellen van Dijk
The 36-year-old has outlined her future goals. A return to the peloton in early 2024 in order to stake a claim for a spot on the Dutch team at the Paris Olympics. Back in Rio, Van Dijk crashed in the TT and finished 4th before not being selected for the Tokyo Olympics as Van Vleuten and Van der Breggen took the spots.
