Dutch Dynasty: The Women’s European Champions 2020–2024

The Breton rain turned the 2020 Championships into an ordeal. The Dutch entered with overwhelming strength, with Van der Breggen, Vos, Pieters, Vollering and Wiebes all on the start line, but it was Annemiek van Vleuten who shouldered the weight in the finale.

After the Dutch had fractured the peloton in crosswinds, Van Vleuten escaped with Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland). Behind them, the orange train disrupted every chase. In the last part of the race both Longo Borghini and Van Vleuten tried to break loose, but they matched each other stride for stride. In the end a sprint had to decide it, and Van Vleuten surged past, defying her reputation as a non-sprinter to claim gold.

It was the beginning of a streak that would define the next half-decade.

The Trento circuit asked the same question again and again, eight times up the Povo climb. Germany tried to take control early, but Ellen van Dijk forced her way into a break and refused to let go. One by one her companions slipped back, until only Soraya Paladin (Italy) remained, and she too cracked under the Dutchwoman’s relentless pace with 23 kilometres still to ride.

Behind, Liane Lippert (Germany) lit the race up and an elite group formed, but Van Vleuten and Vollering marked every move. Out front, Van Dijk never wavered. She hit the final lap alone, powered on, and sealed the European crown with a solo worthy of a time trial world champion. Lippert took silver, while Rasa Leleivytė (Lithuania) sprinted to bronze.

Munich offered a flat circuit and a fast race, shaped by attacks but always heading for a sprint. Germany and France tried to break it open, with Cordon-Ragot (France) the most active, while the Dutch rode calmly in service of their sprinter, Lorena Wiebes. Every move was brought back as the kilometres ticked down.

In the finale, Italy lined up for Elisa Balsamo, but Wiebes locked onto her wheel. The Dutchwoman launched early, Balsamo surged alongside, and the two fought shoulder to shoulder to the line. Wiebes held on by the smallest of margins to take gold, Balsamo claimed silver, and Rachele Barbieri (Italy) rounded out the podium.

On Dutch soil the VAM-berg delivered the decisive moment. The race had been restless, with attacks from Chabbey (Switzerland), Paladin (Italy) and Erić (serbia) earlier on, but the Netherlands kept control and brought it all back together. An elite group formed late, with Vollering, Wiebes, Kopecky and Reusser all present, and for a moment it looked destined for a sprint.

Instead, Mischa Bredewold chose her moment to slip clear. The Dutch blocked every chase, and though Kopecky and Wiebes surged up the Mount Vampad in the finale, Bredewold held them off to win the European title. Wiebes took silver and Kopecky secured bronze.

The 2024 Championships in Flanders were always likely to finish in a sprint. The Dutch controlled the race over the Limburg hills and cobbles, with every move reeled in before the run back to Hasselt.

In the finale Elisa Balsamo’s Italian train took charge, while the Dutch lead-out was disrupted. Lorena Wiebes fought her way onto Balsamo’s wheel and had to finish it off alone. She launched with 200 metres to go and simply overpowered the field, taking her second European title. Balsamo claimed silver, with Daria Pikulik (Poland) in third.

The European Championships in the the Drôme-Ardèche run from 1-5 October:

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