After nearly two years away from the cyclo-cross field, Shirin Van Anrooij started from the back row before moving herself up to finish 16th in Tábor.
Starting on the seventh row, due to having no UCI cyclo-cross ranking points, the Dutch star worked her way through the field on the fast and icy course in the Czech Republic, to boost her start position for the forthcoming races.
After a busy road campaign Van Anrooij has now started preparing for her home Cyclo-Cross World Championship in Hulst next January and the ‘beautiful sand races’ at Koksijde and Zonhoven over the Christmas period.
The Dutch woman has already had taste of home glory after winning the women’s under-23 world title in Hoogerheide in 2023.
“The world championships in Hoogerheide was very special,” said Van Anrooij to broadcaster NOS. ahead of her cyclo-cross return.
“I won there in the under-23 category, but also because it was really just half-an-hour from my home in Goes. I could just ride my bike to the course reconnaissance. But now a world championships in my own province, that’s really awesome.
“In December 2023, I broke my ribs in Antwerp and missed the rest of the cyclocross season. And last year there was that operation, which made me miss the whole winter. I think that makes me realise even more how much fun I get out of the ‘cross. And that I definitely want to continue to do that.”
Following her operation last autumn the multi-discipline rider returned to road racing with Lidl–Trek, finishing third in Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia Women and fourth on Stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
“I think I especially like the combination,” said Van Anrooij. “At the end of the road season, I always long for the ‘cross. And at the end of the cyclo-cross season, I long for the road. I just love cycling. And running, as it turns out. My dream is to do…
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