Mischa Bredewold’s name will appear on the ballot in Utrecht at the local elections on 18 March, but that does not mean the SD Worx-ProTime rider is about to swap the peloton for the council chamber.
The 25-year-old has been placed on the list for Student en Starter as a lijstduwer, taking the symbolic 43rd position. In Dutch politics, that usually means a recognisable public figure is lending support to a party without any real expectation of taking a seat themselves. It is a way of adding visibility rather than signalling the start of a political career.
Photo Credit: GettyThat distinction matters here. At first glance, seeing Bredewold on an election list invites the obvious question of whether she is moving into politics. In reality, this looks much more like a gesture of support than a serious step in that direction.
Student en Starter presents Bredewold as a professional cyclist with a strong interest in sustainability and sport, saying she wants to contribute to a Utrecht that is more sustainable, inclusive and sporting. Those themes fit naturally with the public image she has built as one of the more thoughtful and grounded riders in the Dutch peloton.
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Photo Credit: Thomas Sisk | PhotoNews
She is not the only cyclist appearing in Dutch local politics this month either. Fabio Jakobsen has also been named as a lijstduwer, standing for the VVD in Neder-Betuwe. That gives the municipal elections a small cycling connection, even if neither rider is expected to turn that visibility into an actual elected role.
Bredewold’s schedule also makes the reality fairly obvious. She is racing Trofeo Alfredo Binda this weekend before turning her focus to the Flemish Classics, which leaves little room for any meaningful local campaign presence in Utrecht.
So no, this does not really look like Mischa Bredewold going into politics. It looks like a prominent athlete lending her name to a local party while her actual work remains exactly where you would expect it to be – on the road.
