LEONTIEN VAN MOORSEL

'Leontine Martha Henrica Petronella 'Leontien' van Moorsel' (born March 22 1970 in Boekel) is a Dutch cyclist. She is also known under her married name, 'Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel'.
Van Moorsel started her professional career in the late 1980s, and soon was one of the best cyclists in the world. She won major races both on the track, and on the road. In the first half of the 1990s, she won the Tour Feminin twice, after fierce competition with her main rival in that time, Jeannie Longo.
Van Moorsel dropped out of cycling in 1994 on account of psychological ill-health; she was suffering from depression and anorexia nervosa. Together with Michael Zijlaard, whom she married in 1995, she overcame her ill-health and returned to cycling, although it was not expected she would race at top level any more. However, she was selected to compete at the World Championships in 1998. Here, at her first major tournament for four years, she surprised everyone by winning the time trial and coming second in the road race. Since then, she has won a number of world titles.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Van Moorsel was one of the most successful athletes. She won gold medals both on the road (road race and time trial), and on the track (3km pursuit). At the 2004 Summer Olympics, she was again one of the favorites in the road race, but she fell in the penultimate lap. Despite injury, she competed in the time trial three days later, and successfully defended her title. With 4 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze Olympic medals, Leontien van Moorsel is one of the most successful Dutch athletes ever.
After her last race at the 2004 Olympics, the individual pursuit, Leontien van Moorsel retired from professional cycling.

Contents

Major results

External links

Awards

Major results

★ 1990

★
★ World champion 5km pursuit

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★ World champion 50km team time trial

★ 1991

★
★ World champion road race

★ 1992

★
★ Tour Feminin

★ 1993

★
★ World champion road race

★
★ Tour Feminin

★ 1998

★
★ World champion time trial

★ 1999

★
★ World champion time trial

★ 2000

★
★ Olympic champion road race

★
★ Olympic champion time trial

★
★ Olympic champion 3km pursuit

★
★ Olympic silver medalist points race

★ 2001

★
★ World champion 3km pursuit

★ 2002

★
★ World champion 3km pursuit

★ 2003

★
★ World champion 3km pursuit

★
★ World hour record: 46,06511 km

★ 2004

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★ Olympic champion time trial

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★ Olympic bronze medallist 3km pursuit

External links

★ Official site

★ Results

Awards