The countdown to the Road World Championships in Bergen is well underway, with less than a month until competition begins. The Netherlands will, as ever, be the hot favourites to take home a few medals in the women’s competitions and Ellen van Dijk has her eyes set firmly on doing just that in the individual time trial.
The hilly course in Norway is far from ideal for a rider who puts in her best efforts on the flat power courses, but that hasn’t stopped her from having a red hot go at it in the past.
“For my capabilities, it’s a bit challenging but I will give it everything and see how far I come. I also thought the course in Rio was way too challenging for me, but it turned out not to be. I think if I really focus on it then it is possible to do well there,” Van Dijk told Cyclingnews.
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Van Dijk was speaking ahead of the Ladies Tour of Norway and would go on to win the opening time trial the following day, beating her compatriot Marianne Vos by a second over the three-kilometre course. It was her second straight victory after claiming a second consecutive time trial title at the European Championships in Herning, Denmark - a good sign ahead of the impending competition.
The Boels Rentals Ladies Tour - where Van Dijk finished second overall in 2016 - in the south of the Netherlands will be another chance to test her legs ahead of the Worlds. Outside of racing, she has also been paying visits to the south of the country to utilise the region’s hills.
“Of course, I’ve been trying to ride a bit more in the hills. They are not really long climbs but short and steep climbs,” said Van Dijk. “It’s never really flat, so it’s important to train like that. I’m in Norway now, so I can train a little bit here and then when I come back I will go to the south of the Netherlands and keep training there because that’s a bit more similar to it.”
Finding the motivation again
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