Rotterdam local Chantal van den Broek-Blaak unsure why left out of the Tour de France Femmes line-up

Chantal van den Broek

Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, the Dutch national champion, wonโ€™t be taking part in this yearโ€™s Tour de France Femmes, even though the race starts in her home city of Rotterdam. The SD Worx rider was surprised to learn that she hadnโ€™t been selected, especially with teammates Lotte Kopecky and Marlen Reusser also missing out. In an interview with WielerFlits, Van den Broek-Blaak said, โ€œI donโ€™t know why I wasnโ€™t chosen, especially since Lotte and Marlen arenโ€™t riding. After winning the national title, I thought I was back at my best. Itโ€™s still hard to talk about. Itโ€™s been a tough time.โ€

This unexpected decision is another twist in what has already been a big year for Van den Broek-Blaak. She returned to racing in 2024 after becoming a mother, and in June, she won the Dutch road championship in Arnhem. She called it โ€œthe most beautiful win of my career,โ€ because her daughter Noa was there to see her cross the finish line, and Van den Broek-Blaak was able to bring her onto the podium.

Although Van den Broek-Blaak has won many important races, including the World Championships, Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche, and Amstel Gold Race, she explained that her emotions played a big part in her comment. โ€œI said that in the heat of the moment,โ€ she recalled, โ€œbut itโ€™s still one of the best wins of my career. It was a reward for everything. After my pregnancy, I really had to start from scratch, so it was very emotional. Coming back after pregnancy has become more common recently, but it wasnโ€™t an option before.โ€

Van den Broek-Blaak also shared how her view on returning to racing after having a child has changed. โ€œI used to say that if I wanted children, I would stop racing. Then suddenly it was possible to come back after pregnancy. It shows how womenโ€™s cycling has developed. I didnโ€™t put any pressure on myself during my pregnancy. I took things at my own pace, and gradually I got back into it. By the spring, I was fit enough to race, but it wasnโ€™t clicking as it had before. Then I went to Spain for three weeks in April for โ€˜Plan B,โ€™ and everything fell into place. Mentally, it did me a lot of good: training in the morning and quality time with my daughter in the afternoon. After that, I won the Dutch Championship.โ€

Chantal van den Broek-Blaak
Chantal van den Broek-Blaak

With her contract at SD Worx ending soon, and the Tour starting so close to home, many expected Van den Broek-Blaak to be at the Grand Dรฉpart on Monday. But now, as she thinks about whatโ€™s next, the future is unclear. โ€œI donโ€™t know whatโ€™s next,โ€ she admitted. โ€œIโ€™m still putting in my hours of training, but without a goal, you canโ€™t keep doing that forever. Right now, the disappointment is still very big, but Iโ€™m sure a new goal will come soon. The womenโ€™s calendar isnโ€™t quite right this year with the loss of the Tour of Scandinavia. Hopefully, I can go to the European Championships, but only if Iโ€™m good enough.โ€

Looking ahead to next year, Van den Broek-Blaak is still unsure. โ€œI donโ€™t have an end date in mind yet; I need to feel it out. Itโ€™s clear that Iโ€™m in the later stages of my career, but however it ends, I will close it out beautifully, with this championโ€™s jersey.โ€ Unlike in 2020, when she prematurely announced her retirement, Van den Broek-Blaak is now keeping her options open. โ€œI should never have done that,โ€ she said. โ€œWhen that end date came around, I found cycling still too much fun. Thatโ€™s why Iโ€™m leaving it open now. Iโ€™ll notice and feel it when the time is right.โ€

Even though she wonโ€™t be racing, Van den Broek-Blaak plans to watch some of the Tour de France Femmes. โ€œI canโ€™t avoid it. Almost all my training roads are already closed, and people from my village keep asking if Iโ€™m participating. On Monday, when the Tour goes through Voorne-Putten, Iโ€™m not sure if I can bring myself to go and watch, but Iโ€™ll definitely be there on Tuesday. Thereโ€™s a road stage and then a time trial through the streets of Rotterdam.โ€

Van den Broek-Blaak expects a large turnout for the event in Rotterdam. โ€œI think the second day will be amazing at the Maasboulevard, and I expect a lot of people will come to watch. Hopefully, it will be the same in other cities and villages. On Wednesday, I scouted the stage to The Hague with Lucinda Brand, and we already said: itโ€™s really alive here. Hopefully, the Tour start will be great for womenโ€™s cycling in the Netherlands,โ€ she concluded.