The first day of the 2025 Track Cycling World Championships in Chile was a landmark moment for the Netherlands. With no fewer than three gold medals, Team NL burst out of the starting blocks like never before. Kimberly Kalee, Hetty van de Wouw, and Steffie van der Peet made history by securing the first-ever world title in the women's team sprint.
Kalee, Van de Wouw, and Van der Peet had already tasted success earlier this year at an international track event, having claimed the European title in the team sprint at the recent European Championships in Heusden-Zolder. The next step: a first world championship. And so it happened, as the Dutch sprint team defeated Great Britain at the Velódromo Peñalolén in Santiago, Chile.
After many podium finishes, they finally struck gold at a World Championship. "We finally made it!" Van de Wouw said, beaming after the race. "We’ve had so many fourth and second places, and now we’ve done it. This is what you race for," she continued in an interview with NOS. "It’s really special to achieve this with the team. We’re a very strong squad, and that’s why we were able to deliver such a result."
"This is amazing," added Kalee. "Last year we already won a nice silver, but this year we've grown so close and have gotten so much better. That it comes together now is really fantastic. It helps that I can now train alongside the girls. We do everything together and have a real focus on the team sprint. That creates a very strong bond. I’ve really made progress, also thanks to Hugo (national coach Hugo Haak, ed.). It’s great that it already results in a world title."
photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Three laps of screaming
Van der Peet was over the moon after the race, though not entirely satisfied with her own performance. "It didn’t come easy, not even in the final. Technically, I wasn’t riding well, but I just kept thinking: I have to ride, ride, ride! That was enough. I crossed the line and just screamed for three laps. I can’t believe it, especially since it didn’t feel that good for me personally. But it’s enough, so who cares!"
UCI Cycling World Championships - Track (Team Sprint)| Rank | Rider | Time |
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