Shirin van Anrooij recently underwent successful surgery to address iliac artery endofibrosis after a troubling season with leg issues. Diagnosed with a narrowing of her external iliac artery, the 21-year-old Dutch rider underwent the procedure on 31st October and now faces a lengthy recovery period.
Van Anrooij first noticed “unusual sensations” in her left leg during the latter part of the road season. Reflecting on her experience, she shared, “After some hard months on and off the bike, we finally got to the bottom of what was causing me problems in my left leg.”
Describing her relief, Shirin van Anrooij confirmed the surgery was successful but admitted that the initial diagnosis was a shock. “It was definitely a scary discovery at first, but everything went well, and I am happy that I can now start my recovery.”
Despite her optimism, the recovery timeline will keep Van Anrooij out of competition until May. With six months of rest and rehabilitation ahead, she will miss both the cyclocross season and the early stages of the road season, ruling her out of a discipline in which she has shown great promise over recent years.
Acknowledging the challenges of the situation, Van Anrooij expressed gratitude for the support she’s received. “All the support I have received from my friends, family, team staff and teammates has been incredible! It’s made this process a lot easier, so I want to thank everyone who has been with me every step of the way through this.”
Although disappointed to miss the 2024/2025 cyclocross season, Van Anrooij remains positive about her journey back to racing. “I have a long journey in front of me! It will be around six months until I can properly think about racing again, so sadly this will mean no CX for me in 2024/2025, but I’ll be watching and cheering for everyone all season.”
