Dutch · Dwingeloo, Netherlands · Born 18 April 1990One of the most dominant all-rounders in women's cycling, winning Olympic gold, two world titles, and multiple Ardennes classics and Grand Tours.
Anna van der Breggen won Olympic road race gold in Rio without knowing, for several tense kilometres, whether she'd actually won it. Her training partner and closest rival, Annemiek van Vleuten, had been leading alone on the final descent when she crashed hard and lay motionless on the road; van der Breggen rode past without stopping, unsure how badly her friend was hurt, and only learned at the finish line that van Vleuten would recover. The two Dutch riders trained together for years and pushed each other to results neither might have reached alone, a rivalry built on genuine friendship rather than the manufactured tension cycling commentators sometimes look for. Van der Breggen's own palmares reads like a checklist of the sport's hardest one-day races: six consecutive Fleche Wallonne wins between 2015 and 2020, alongside two editions of Liege-Bastogne-Liege. She retired from road racing in 2020 at the height of her powers rather than riding into a decline, a choice that meant walking away from two world titles and an Olympic gold still very much in her legs -- before returning briefly to professional cycling as a directeur sportif, shaping the same kind of racing she'd once dominated from the team car instead of the peloton.
Olympic road race champion (Rio 2016) and two-time UCI World Road Race Champion
How They Played
Van der Breggen was known for her exceptional climbing ability and tactical acumen, making her particularly dangerous in hilly and mountainous terrain. She possessed a powerful finishing kick and the intelligence to time her attacks perfectly, often waiting until the crucial moments to make race-winning moves.
Lasting Impact
Van der Breggen elevated the profile of women's cycling through her consistent performances at the highest level and helped inspire a new generation of Dutch female cyclists.
Career Honours
- Olympic Road Race Gold 2016
- World Road Race Champion 2018, 2020
- Giro d'Italia Femminile overall 4x
- Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2017, 2018
- Flèche Wallonne 6 consecutive wins 2015-2020
- Amstel Gold Race 2017
Dutch Athletes