2008 Vrienden van het Platteland season

The 2008 women's road cycling season was the ninth and last season for the Vrienden van het Platteland (UCI code: VVP) cycling team, which began as Ondernemers van Nature in 2000.

2008 Vrienden van het Platteland
UCI Team ranking19th
ManagerWim Kruis
Season victories
One-day racesRoad: 4
Track: 13
Stage race overall0
Stage race stages2
Best ranked riderLiesbet De Vocht (73rd)

Ellen van Dijk became European Champion in the time trial and won the stage 2 of the 2008 Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin and the prologue of 2008 Tour Féminin en Limousin. An Van Rie won the Belgian Time Trial Championships. However, the largest victories were on the track. Ellen van Dijk became World Champion in the scratch and European champion in the Women's points race and Women's scratch. At the European championships she also won two silver medals. Willy Kanis won 4 times an individual event at the Track Cycling World Cups in 2008 and together with Yvonne Hijgenaar two times the team sprint event. The team finished 19th in the 2008 UCI Team Ranking.

Roster

Ages as of 1 January 2008.

Rider Date of birth
 Liesbeth Bakker (NED) (1986-07-01)1 July 1986 (aged 21)
 Martine Bras (NED) (1987-05-17)17 May 1987 (aged 20)
 Nikki Butterfield-Egyed (AUS) (1982-04-12)12 April 1982 (aged 25)
 Ellen van Dijk (NED) (1987-02-11)11 February 1987 (aged 20)
 Lorian Graham (AUS) (1977-11-08)8 November 1977 (aged 30)
 Yvonne Hijgenaar (NED) (1980-05-15)15 May 1980 (aged 27)
 Marit Huisman (NED) (1989-03-01)1 March 1989 (aged 18)
 Willy Kanis (NED) (1984-07-27)27 July 1984 (aged 23)
 Roxane Knetemann (NED) (1987-04-01)1 April 1987 (aged 20)
Rider Date of birth
 Kristy Miggels (NED) (1980-08-06)6 August 1980 (aged 27)
 Tina Pic (USA) (1966-05-09)9 May 1966 (aged 41)
 Martine van der Herberg (NED) (1989-11-24)24 November 1989 (aged 18)
 An Van Rie (BEL) (1974-06-09)9 June 1974 (aged 33)
 Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) (1982-10-08)8 October 1982 (aged 25)
 Monique Verstraten (NED) (1983-04-24)24 April 1983 (aged 24)
 Liesbet De Vocht (BEL) (1979-01-05)5 January 1979 (aged 28)
 Jaccolien Wallaard (NED) (1982-09-30)30 September 1982 (aged 25)

Sources[1][2]

Guest riders

The team had Felicia Gomez and Linn Torp as guest riders during the Tour of New Zealand and Gomez also during the Geelong Tour.

Season

January–March: track cycling

At the begin of the year Willy Kanis, Yvonne Hijgenaar and Ellen van Dijk were active on the track. At the 3rd round of the 2007–08 UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Los Angeles Kanis and Hijgenaar won the team sprint. At the 4th round in Copenhagen in February Kanis won the sprint and Keirin. Ellen van Dijk and Yvonne Hijgenaar finished in the team pursuit together with Marlijn Binnendijk second in a new Dutch national record. Ellen van Dijk was chosen to ride the individual pursuit in the remaining two (out of four) 2007–2008 track cycling World Cups due to her good results at the 2007 Dutch National Track Championships. Van Dijk could, via the UCI World Ranking system, potentially earn qualification for the 2008 Olympic Games. She finished in Los Angeles and Copenhagen in fifth and fourth places respectively. After finishing fifth in the individual pursuit at the World Track Championships in Manchester, Van Dijk missed out on qualification for the Olympic Games; she finished 12th in the UCI World Rankings and only the first eleven riders qualified.[3] The day after she took revenge by winning her first major senior title, the scratch race at the 2008 World Cycling Championships. With eight laps to go she attacked and rode solo to the finish line.[4] Van Dijk finished at the World Championships in the team pursuit furthermore 6th in a new Dutch national record. At the World Championships Kanis did not win a medal and finished 4th and 5th in the women's 500 m time trial and Women's sprint, Hijgenaar finished in these disciplines 10th and 8th.

April–June: road cycling

At the end of April Annemiek van Vleuten finished second in the GP Stad Roeselare. Martine Bras and Ellen van Dijk were part of the national team at the Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin where they won team time trial stage 2. Furthermore, Ellen van Dijk finished second in the prologue and Bras finished third in stage 7. At the same time the team rode at the Tour de Pologne Feminin where Liesbet De Vocht finished third in the general classification. An Van Rie finished third in the first stage. At the Rabo Ster Zeeuwsche Eilanden in mid June, Ellen van Dijk finished second in the time trial of stage 1. In the later stages Van Dijk and the team fought for her place in the general classification. She won the youth classification and finished third overall.

July–September: road and track cycling championships

Ellen van Dijk won 2 gold medals and 2 silver medals at the European Track Championships. Pictured: podium women's points race

As the Dutch national time trial champion and due to her good results in the time trials, Ellen van Dijk was selected to participate at the 2008 European Road Championships. Van Dijk became 2008 European Time Trial Champion and finished 31st in the road race. Ellen van Dijk showed again her strong time trial skills in the Tour Féminin en Limousin where she won the initial time trial stage over 4.6 km. Annemiek van Vleuten finished third, 10 seconds behind her. Van Dijk was not selected to ride the time trial at the Summer Olympics, because the course would be too heavy for her.[5] At the National championships, An Van Rie won the Belgian National Time Trial Championships. Ellen van Dijk could not defend successfully her Dutch national time trial title and finished fourth. Annemiek van Vleuten seventh.

Willy Kanis and Yvonne Hijgenaar participated at the 2008 Summer Olympics on the track in the women's sprint. Kanis lost the bronze-medal match and ended in 4th place. Hijgenaar became 11th. As the scratch world champion Ellen van Dijk also became European Track Champion in the scratch as well as in the points race in September. Van Dijk rode to the silver medal in the elite omnium and the individual pursuit events.

Several riders from the team were selected by their national federation to participate at the 2008 UCI Road World Championships to represent the country. Ellen van Dijk (20th) and An Van Rie participated in the time trial. Nikki Egyed (15th) and Liesbet De Vocht (58th) in the road race

November–December: track cycling

At the end of November Willy Kanis won on the track at the second round of the 2008–09 Track Cycling World Cup in Melbourne the 500m time trial and sprint and together with Yvonne Hijgenaar also the team sprint. At the 2008 Dutch National Track Championships at the end of December Kanis became three times national champion in the sprint disciplines, the 500m time trial, keirin and sprint. Also Ellen van Dijk defended her title successfully in the individual pursuit.

Results

Season victories

Single day and stage races 2008[6]
DateNationRaceCat.Winner
18-20 January United StatesTeam sprint: 2007–08 Track Cycling World Cup – Round 3 (Los Angeles)CDMNetherlands Yvonne Hijgenaar
Netherlands Willy Kanis
15-17 February DenmarkSprint: 2007–08 Track Cycling World Cup – Round 4 (Copenhagen)CDMNetherlands Willy Kanis
15-17 February DenmarkKeirin: 2007–08 Track Cycling World Cup – Round 4 (Copenhagen)CDMNetherlands Willy Kanis
18 May FranceStage 2 2008 Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin2.1Netherlands Ellen van Dijk
24 July FrancePrologue 2008 Tour Féminin en Limousin2.2Netherlands Ellen van Dijk
20-22 November AustraliaTeam sprint: 2007–08 Track Cycling World Cup – Round 2 (Melbourne)CDMNetherlands Yvonne Hijgenaar
Netherlands Willy Kanis
20-22 November Australia500m time trial: 2007–08 Track Cycling World Cup – Round 2 (Melbourne)CDMNetherlands Willy Kanis
20-22 November AustraliaKeirin: 2007–08 Track Cycling World Cup – Round 2 (Melbourne)CDMNetherlands Willy Kanis
National, Continental and World champions 2009[6]
DateDisciplineJerseyWinner
30 MarchTrack Cycling World Champion – ScratchNetherlands Ellen van Dijk
3 JulyEuropean Road Champion – Time TrialNetherlands Ellen van Dijk
15 AugustBelgian National Time Trial ChampionAn Van Rie
6 SeptemberEuropean Track Champion – Under-23 points raceNetherlands Ellen van Dijk
7 SeptemberEuropean Track Champion – Under-23 scratchNetherlands Ellen van Dijk
30 DecemberDutch National Track Cycling Champion – Individual pursuitEllen van Dijk
30 DecemberDutch National Track Cycling Champion – 500m time trialWilly Kanis
30 DecemberDutch National Track Cycling Champion – SprintWilly Kanis
30 DecemberDutch National Track Cycling Champion – KeirinWilly Kanis

Results in major races

Women's World Cup 2008

Results at the 2008 UCI Women's Road World Cup races
# Date Race Country Best rider Place
#1 24 February Geelong World Cup  Australia United States Tina Pic 19th
#2 24 March Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio  Italy Australia Lorian Graham 9th
#3 6 April Tour of Flanders for Women  Belgium Netherlands Martine Bras 20th
#4 12 April Ronde van Drenthe  Netherlands Belgium Liesbet De Vocht 7th
#5 23 April La Flèche Wallonne Féminine  Belgium Australia Lorian Graham 24th
#6 4 May Tour de Berne   Switzerland Australia Nikki Butterfield 7th
#7 31 May Coupe du Monde Cycliste Féminine de Montréal  Canada - -
#8 30 July Open de Suède Vårgårda  Sweden Netherlands Martine Bras 10th
#9 1 August Open de Suède Vårgårda TTT  Sweden Vrienden van het Platteland 5th
#10 24 August GP de Plouay – Bretagne  France Netherlands Martine Bras 5th
#11 16 September Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt  Germany Netherlands Liesbeth Bakker 14th
Results in other major single day races
Date Race[M 1] Rider Place
26 March Track Cycling World Championships – Women's 500 m time trial Netherlands Willy Kanis 4th
28 March Track Cycling World Championships – Women's team pursuit Netherlands Ellen van Dijk
(with Marlijn Binnendijk and Elise van Hage)
6th
29 March Track Cycling World Championships – Women's sprint Netherlands Willy Kanis 5th
29 March Track Cycling World Championships – Women's keirin Netherlands Willy Kanis 9th
30 March Track Cycling World Championships – Women's scratch Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 1st place, gold medalist(s)
3 July European Road Championships – Women's under-23 time trial Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 1st place, gold medalist(s)
5 July European Road Championships – Women's under-23 road race Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 31st
3 September European Track Championships – Women's omnium Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
6 September European Track Championships – Women's under-23 individual pursuit Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
7 September European Track Championships – Women's under-23 scratch Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 1st place, gold medalist(s)
6 September European Track Championships – Women's under-23 points race Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 1st place, gold medalist(s)
23 September Road World Championships – Women's time trial[7] Netherlands Ellen van Dijk 20th
24 September Road World Championships – Women's road race[8]  Nikki Egyed (AUS) 15th
  1. Riders are in these championships part of the national team

Other achievements

Dutch national records, team pursuit

The women's 3000 m team pursuit track cycling discipline was introduced at the 2007–08 track cycling season. The Dutch team including Ellen van Dijk and Yvonne Hijgenaar rode the team pursuit for the first time at Round 4 at the 2007–08 UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Copenhagen in a time of 3:36.901 (49.792 km/h). They broke the record later that day. At the 2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships the Dutch team including Van Dijk broke the record again in the qualifying round. This is not the current record anymore.

Time Speed
(km/h)
Cyclists Event Location of race Date Ref
3:36.901 49.792 Ellen van Dijk and Yvonne Hijgenaar
(with Marlijn Binnendijk)
2007–08 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics – Round 4 (qualification) Denmark Copenhagen 17 February 2008 [9]
3:32.666 50.783 Ellen van Dijk and Yvonne Hijgenaar
(with Marlijn Binnendijk)
2007–08 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics – Round 4 (gold-medal race) Denmark Copenhagen 17 February 2008 [10]
3:31.596 51.040 Ellen van Dijk
(with Marlijn Binnendijk and Elise van Hage)
2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships (qualifying) United Kingdom Manchester 28 March 2008 [11]

UCI World Ranking

The team finished 19th in the UCI ranking for teams.[12]

Individual UCI World Ranking[12]
Rank Rider Points
73Belgium Liesbet De Vocht77.25
78Netherlands Martine Bras75
79Netherlands Ellen van Dijk74.91
88Netherlands Annemiek van Vleuten64.25
107Australia Nikki Egyed48
120Belgium An Van Rie39.25
154Australia Lorian Graham24
161United States Tina Pic23
216Netherlands Marit Huisman11.25
225Netherlands Liesbeth Bakker10.25
262Netherlands Jaccolien Wallaard8

References

  1. "2008 Roster". cyclingarchives.com. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  2. "2008 Roster". cqranking.com. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  3. "Ellen van Dijk in tranen". Algemeen Dagblad. 27 March 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  4. Shane Stokes (31 March 2008). "No Olympics for Van Dijk, but happy with worlds". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  5. ANP (6 June 2008). "Wegploeg vrouwen voor Peking bekend". Nusport. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  6. "2008 Vrienden van het platteland". procyclingstats.com. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  7. "2008 World Championships WE - ITT (CM)". procyclingstats.com. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  8. "2008 75th World Championships WE - Road Race (CM)". procyclingstats.com. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  9. "Qualifying". Tissottiming.com. 17 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  10. "Finals". Tissottiming.com. 17 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  11. "UCI 2008 Track Cycling World Championships Women's Team Pursuit Qualification Official Results" (PDF). Tissot. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-27.
  12. "2008 UCI Road Rankings Women Elite". Archived from the original on 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
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