Ellen van Dijk has announced that she will retire at the end of the 2025 season, concluding an extraordinary 20-year career that saw her achieve 70 victories, including three world time trial titles, five European titles, and a historic solo victory at the Tour of Flanders.

The announcement marks a turning point for the Lidl-Trek team, which has lost another key figure following Lizzie Deignan's recent retirement. Van Dijk admitted that fears related to racing in the modern peloton and injuries sustained in recent years were among the reasons for his decision.

“It was a very difficult decision for me,” explained the Dutch champion.

"I deeply love life as a professional cyclist and consider it a privilege. Time trials are my great passion and my great love, always have been and always will be."

Van Dijk, 38, has won 41 time trials in her career and is also a former Hour Record holder. Her time trial skills have often benefited her teammates in team time trials, as demonstrated most recently at this year's Vuelta España Femenina, where Lidl-Trek won the race and took the red jersey.

In 2023, van Dijk took a break from racing to give birth to her son Faas, returning to racing and winning after just six months.

"I'm very proud of my entire career," she said.

"Not just the victories, but also the last two years where as a family we had to pull together to get the most out of myself."

Her retirement represents the end of an era for women's cycling, which loses one of the most successful and charismatic athletes of the last two decades.