Former World Champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak joined her SD Worx-Protime teammates for his or her workforce presentation in Mechelen, Belgium marking the tip of her maternity depart.
“It is very nice to be again,” Van den Broek-Blaak stated within the presentation. “It seems like all the pieces remains to be the identical. I used to be one 12 months out and then you definitely leap again in a bunch and it feels the identical – however on the similar time, all the pieces has modified for me. So it is a good problem.”
Van den Broek-Blaak introduced her being pregnant finally 12 months’s workforce presentation earlier than sitting out the season to welcome her daughter into the world in Might. She had thought-about retiring in 2022 however modified her thoughts when the maternity depart coverage allowed her to mix beginning a household with one other season of racing in 2024.
“I’ve completely different priorities now – it doesn’t suggest I am not targeted on biking as a result of it is nonetheless tremendous vital for me. However while you develop into a mother, there’s one factor extra vital – my life is simply completely completely different now as a result of I am not solely an athlete, I’m additionally a full time mother.”
The 34-year-old might have completely different priorities however she has the identical ambitions as earlier than her depart, and her predominant aim is available in August when the Tour de France Femmes begins within the Netherlands.
“It begins in Rotterdam – that is the place I come from, and that is very particular for me,” she stated, including that she hopes to be there to impart her data and expertise to the workforce’s youthful riders, “then if it is going nicely, I additionally need to be an element within the recreation.”
Van den Broek-Blaak gained the world title in 2017 and has 5 main Classics wins on her palmares – Tour of Flanders in 2020, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2019, Amstel Gold Race in 2018, and Gent-Wevelgem and Ronde van Drenthe in 2016, and is aiming to get again to that degree.
“In fact I’ve expectations, I’ve objectives as a result of in any other case what am I doing right here? However my largest aim is to return again to my previous degree. I additionally must be trustworthy, I am not there but. And that also wants a while however we’ll see the way it’s going. Possibly I am there already at first, and perhaps I would like a number of extra months. I am going to take it step-by-step.
“It is getting higher. I am not there the place I need to be. I used to be in a position to practice with the ladies in December for the primary time and it was exhausting. However I used to be truly already in a position to comply with the coaching and now the final camp went even higher. So it is exhausting however I imagine I could make it again.”
Many new dad and mom wrestle with sleepless nights caring for fussy infants however Van den Broek-Blaak stated that hasn’t been an issue. “I have to say now we have an easy child. She’s fairly good, so we’re fortunate.”
