Gravel cyclist Geerike Schreurs will officially join Team SD Worx-Protime next season, adding a new dimension to the women’s cycling powerhouse. After a successful partnership last year through bike manufacturer Specialized, the 35-year-old Dutch rider has earned a full contract for 2025.
Schreurs, who made a name for herself in the gravel scene, expressed her excitement, saying, “I am very happy with this contract. I didn’t actually expect it. I did have a good season, but now I am really part of the team. It’s still incredibly special when you think about it. Twelve years after I said goodbye to road cycling, I now have a contract with the best women’s team in the world.”
Reflecting on her career, Schreurs recalled her early departure from road cycling, where she had stints with Sengers Ladies Cycling Team and Dolmans Landscaping Team. “In that period, women’s cycling has completely changed. After 12 years, Anna van der Breggen and I will be teammates again, how nice is that?” she added.
Gravel’s growing role in cycling
Team SD Worx-Protime’s sports manager, Danny Stam, highlighted the increasing importance of gravel racing in the cycling world. “Gravel is becoming increasingly important in cycling. Last year, we were asked by Specialized if we could think along with them. We tried to facilitate Geerike as much as possible this year. We have seen that, as a team, we get a lot of extra exposure and popularity out of gravel cycling. We realise that it is also important to have charisma in this branch of cycling,” Stam noted.
He went on to discuss how Schreurs has become an inspiration for her teammates. “Furthermore, we have discovered that the other riders are pulling themselves up to Geerike again in gravel racing. Some feel the need to also have an occasional outing in a gravel race. For instance, several of our riders participated in The Traka this year. Geerike fits into our team and was also an added value during the training camps. In the future, we can also have her step in if necessary when we are short of a rider for a road race.”
Excelling on gravel, with an eye on the road
While gravelling remains Schreurs’ primary focus, she revealed that she is open to taking part in road races when required. “I excel in the long distances that come with gravelling. I do think it would be fun to ride the occasional road race when the team is tight. In fact, the combination could also be useful for me in gravelling. Road races are more explosive and I can grow in that. Gravel riding is also individualistic, while by nature I like to help others. If I can gain explosiveness in road races and do work for someone else at the same time, that motivates me tremendously and is also to my advantage for my gravel races.”
Looking back at her 2023 season, Schreurs reflected on a particularly proud moment. “I am proud of my performance in Unbound. There was a lot on me in my first participation. It is the most professional gravel race and there was pressure involved. Of course, I wanted to make my sponsor Specialized proud. That I ended up finishing second in Unbound is one of my absolute highlights so far. I also won a UCI race in Scotland and rode a consistent season.”
Schreurs has also been an outspoken advocate for equality in gravel racing. “I am trying to be at the forefront of the gravel world. I work hard to have separate races for women instead of mass starts with women and men at the same time. We women deserve that. We can make the competitions interesting ourselves. That’s also just the fairest thing. It’s not always appreciated that I’m committed to that. For example, I make a point of not even going to races anymore where there is a mass start.”
A career comeback and inspiration
Her gravel career marks a significant change from her early days in cycling, a time when Schreurs struggled to find support for her ambitions. “It’s a crazy story,” she said. “In 2013, I had little support from my family and friends because a career in cycling was not realistic then either. I then focused on courses to become a sports masseur. If I do something, I want to be the best. But at one point, I was no longer happy with what I was doing.”
The opportunity to join Team SD Worx-Protime came unexpectedly last year through her partnership with Specialized, a chance that Schreurs did not hesitate to seize. “I grabbed that one with both hands,” she said.
Schreurs also shared a recent encounter that has left a lasting impression on her. “The great thing is that you meet all kinds of people in different age groups. Recently, I met a 60-year-old woman who called me an inspiration. All I could think is that she inspired me. I just hope that as a sixty-year-old I will still be able to do what she can do. But first, my current career. I am really looking forward to defending the colours of Team SD Worx-Protime in 2025.”
