Shirin van Anrooij has announced that she will miss the upcoming UCI Road World Championships in Zurich, as well as the remainder of her season, due to a persistent injury affecting her left leg. The Dutch rider, who has been experiencing ongoing pain and power loss, confirmed that further medical examinations are necessary to identify the issue and plan her recovery.
Speaking about the difficult decision, Shirin Van Anrooij said, “Not the news I wanted to share but we made the decision to end my road season early and to skip Worlds. I have been struggling with pain and power loss in my left leg and it has become too clear that we need to do more examinations to figure out what’s wrong and the best path to a full recovery.”
Despite the setback, the 21-year-old remains optimistic. “It’s, of course, disappointing but I am also trying to stay positive and believe that we will get to the bottom of the issue and that I will back to my best level before returning to racing.”
Van Anrooij, who competes in both road and cyclocross, has enjoyed a standout season with notable results, including a victory at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and podium finishes at major races such as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Tour of Flanders. She also secured the overall Women’s WorldTour U23 title for the third consecutive year. Reflecting on her achievements, she said, “I am still proud of what I have done this season, even if it’s not the end I hoped for, and even more proud to have secured this UCI Women’s WorldTour U23 jersey for the third year in a row.”
The injury also forced her to miss the European Championships in Belgium earlier this year, leaving her unable to compete for the under-23 women’s road race world title, where she had been a favourite. Van Anrooij has now been replaced by Thalita de Jong in the Dutch squad for Zurich, a change that national coach Loes Gunnewijk acknowledged was a tough but necessary decision.
“Of course, it’s very disappointing for Shirin that she can’t ride the Worlds,” Gunnewijk stated. “But at moments like this, health comes first. It’s important that we fully understand the issue and support her through recovery.”
De Jong, who has been in excellent form this season, with wins at the Tour de l’Ardèche and AG Tour de la Semois, will now travel to Switzerland for the event. She joins a strong Dutch line-up led by Demi Vollering, with other key riders including Puck Pieterse, Pauliena Rooijakkers, and Marianne Vos, all set to race in Zurich.
The women’s road race is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 28th September.
