Ellen van Dijk has set her sights on gold in the Olympic time trial in Paris on 27th July. Leading up to this significant event, she will participate in three races, as she revealed on her podcast Wegkletsen, which she hosts with former professional Roxane Knetemann.
Van Dijk had to withdraw from the Vuelta a España Femenina in early May after a fall during the opening team time trial. She made her return to competition in the Ronde van Lekkerkerk, a national race, on 9th May. Currently, her focus is on training for her upcoming race: the Dutch National Time Trial Championships on 19th June, followed by the Dutch National Road Race Championships four days later.
“Between the Dutch National Time Trial and the Dutch National Road Race, we have two team days at Papendal, completely dedicated to the Olympic Games,” Van Dijk explained. “On the second day, the rest of the national team will join us in the afternoon.”
After the National Road Race Championships, Van Dijk will head to Germany for the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour from 25th to 30th June. “There’s a 32-kilometre time trial in that tour, which will be a good test,” she noted. “After that, I won’t race anymore. I’ll just train for three and a half weeks leading up to the Olympics. Maybe in Austria, maybe in Limburg or the Ardennes.”
The Olympic time trial is scheduled for 27th July. Van Dijk will also compete in the road race on 4th August, alongside Demi Vollering, Marianne Vos, and Lorena Wiebes, who has been named the team leader by national coach Loes Gunnewijk.
