For now, she is not yet close to the top prizes, but according to her coach Eric Braes, Shirin van Anrooij will soon be able to aim for them again. After two cyclocross races, the 23-year-old, returning after two winter breaks, is already not that far off.
Due to a narrowed iliac artery, the Dutch all-rounder had to undergo surgery in the fall of 2024 and did not race at all last winter. Also, the previous winter she was only able to complete a limited program due to circumstances, meaning the best Van Anrooij in the field dates back to early 2023. At that time, she won the U23 World Championship and several World Cups.
On the road and gravel, Van Anrooij had already demonstrated with flair that the iliac artery issue had not diminished her capabilities as a rider. She performed strongly in the Giro d'Italia Women and was even on course for the title in the much-discussed finale of the Gravel World Championship, were it not for tactical choices in the Dutch camp that cost her the win.
Starting Row
After a brief rest, she resumed racing in the Tábor cyclocross on November 23, but due to her absence and lack of UCI points, Van Anrooij had to start from the last row. A nearly impossible task, yet she fought her way impressively up to 16th place. That earned her a place on the second starting row in Flamanville, helping her to finish sixth. That marked the beginning of a cyclocross calendar mainly consisting of World Cup rounds, culminating at the World Championships in her home province on February 1.
"She still has it in her; we are very satisfied," says team director Eric Braes after those first two assessments. "Of course, Shirin still lacks that pure cyclocross feel after her surgery last year. Not being able to race cross for so long, you notice it in everything. But maybe the worst was the starting position. Starting on the second row in the Flamanville World Cup already made a world of difference. She can be truly proud of how she has come back to cyclocross."
Although the work is not done yet, the team director says, "We are working hard in training on the cyclocross-specific aspects and trying to get those small accelerations in. Sometimes we do specific sessions focused solely on that. Shirin herself actually requests that. She is very motivated to succeed again as a cyclocrosser, and that's great to see."
Cyclocross is Needed
Especially because, according to Braes, it used to be different. "She went through a period where she completely focused her sights on the road. But now you notice she’s starting to realize she needs cyclocross and that she’s good at it. She knows she needs the road for her endurance in cyclocross. But to be able to execute certain accelerations on the road, it’s again advantageous to have those cross races in her legs."
"Because she has made that switch, I think she has recommitted to combining road and cyclocross in the coming years. And to racing around 15 cyclocross races each season. We still see a winner in her in cyclocross. If she improves technically, it should be possible to compete for victories on certain courses."
Shirin van Anrooij
