Dutch Cyclists Van de Wouw and Wiebes Triumph at Track Worlds

Dutch cyclists Hetty van de Wouw and Lorena Wiebes each secured their second world titles at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships held in Santiago, Chile, on July 7, 2023. Their victories added to the Netherlands’ impressive performance at the championships, showcasing the country’s strength in track cycling.

In the women’s sprint event, Van de Wouw triumphed over Japan’s Mina Sato across two heats, becoming only the second Dutch woman to win this title since Ingrid Haringa in 1991. The 24-year-old cyclist had already claimed gold in the team sprint alongside teammates Steffie van der Peet and Kimberly Kalee earlier in the week. Expressing her disbelief at the achievement, Van de Wouw stated, “I can’t quite believe it yet. It’s super cool. I was confident because I already felt very strong yesterday. When I beat Ellesse Andrews, the Olympic champion, in the quarterfinals, I thought: okay, I’m good. But to become world champion is really bizarre.”

Wiebes also made headlines by winning the women’s omnium, showcasing her resilience. After being briefly overtaken by France’s Marion Borras, Wiebes regained control in the final sprint to secure her victory. This win marked her third world title in just two weeks, following victories in both the scratch race and the Gravel World Championships. Wiebes remarked, “So much can happen in an omnium. This is of course what you hope for, but I didn’t quite expect it. When I still felt strong in the elimination race, I got confident. Winning three titles in two weeks is the icing on the cake of a great season.”

The championships will continue over the weekend with additional events, including the kilometre time trial and keirin, where Van de Wouw is expected to compete again.

In other notable results, Britain’s Josh Charlton captured his first world title in the Individual Pursuit, defeating Denmark’s Rasmus Pedersen in the final. American Anders Johnson secured third place in this event. Additionally, fellow Briton Josh Tarling emerged victorious in the men’s points race, finishing ahead of American Peter Moore and France’s Clement Petit.

As the championships progress, the excitement and competitiveness among the world’s best cyclists continue to unfold, further solidifying the Netherlands’ dominance on the track.