Anna van der Breggen
Anna van der Breggen (born 18 April 1990 in Zwolle, Netherlands) is one of the most successful riders in women’s cycling history. A former Olympic champion and multiple Giro Rosa winner, she built her legacy with dominant performances in stage races and Ardennes Classics. After retiring in 2021 and serving as sports director at SD Worx–Protime, Van der Breggen made a highly anticipated comeback to racing in 2025. Her return sets up a fascinating rivalry with her former protégé Demi Vollering, now racing for FDJ United–SUEZ. Find Anna van der Breggen’s latest results, stats and race calendar on this page.
Biography of pro cyclist Anna van der Breggen
Anna van der Breggen is one of the most decorated riders in cycling history. Her palmarès includes Olympic gold, two world titles, four Giro Rosa overall victories and seven consecutive wins at La Flèche Wallonne. Known for her calm demeanor and devastating accelerations, she defined an era of dominance in women’s cycling before retiring in 2021.
Early life and rise
Born in 1990 in Zwolle, the Netherlands, Van der Breggen began cycling as a teenager. After considering a career in nursing, she turned pro in 2012. Her breakthrough came in 2014 with a podium at the Giro Rosa. In 2015, she won the Ardennes treble, immediately establishing herself as one of the best climbers in the world.
Breakthrough performances
Her defining early win came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she sprinted to gold in a chaotic finale. In 2018, she soloed to the World Championship road race title in Innsbruck. In 2020, she became the first woman to win both the Worlds road race and time trial in the same year.
Major results and highlights
Van der Breggen won the Giro Rosa four times (2015, 2017, 2020, 2021), claimed world titles in 2018 and 2020, and earned Olympic medals in 2016 (gold) and 2020 (bronze). She won Flanders, Liège, Amstel and Omloop, and was UCI Women’s WorldTour champion in 2017 and 2018.
Comeback
After retiring in 2021, she made her comeback in 2025. Returning to competition with Team SD Worx, Van der Breggen quickly reestablished herself as a key rider, impressing with strong performances in both stage races and one-day classics.
Style and strengths
She is a powerful climber and an exceptional time trialist. Her signature move is the well-timed long-range attack. Van der Breggen is tactically smart, physically resilient and rarely has a bad day. Her calm presence makes her a reliable leader and feared rival.
Rivalries and team role
Van der Breggen has long been a central figure in the battles with Van Vleuten, Vos and Longo Borghini for major titles. Early in her career, she rode in support of Vos before becoming a leader herself. As SD Worx’s tactical mastermind, she helped shape the rise of riders like Demi Vollering and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak. Since her comeback in 2025, she now finds herself competing directly against Vollering, adding a new dynamic to their relationship.
Records and milestones
- First woman to win Flèche Wallonne seven consecutive times (2015–2021)
- Olympic road race champion (2016)
- Four-time Giro Rosa winner
- First rider to win road and time trial World Championships in the same year (2020)
- First Dutch woman to win world and Olympic titles in same career
