Nienke Vinke wins the U23 Women's time trial silver after some helpful advice from Demi Vollering: 'Time flies by on this course'

22-year-old Vinke was, of course, glued to the TV on Sunday as many of her teammates competed in the elite time trial. Afterward, she also spoke with Vollering and Nooijen. “They emphasised that it’s very important to accelerate aggressively out of the turns and get back up to speed right away. They also said that time flies by on this course.”

"So I knew I shouldn't start too slowly; because it goes so fast, you have to go all out from the start. That was very helpful advice," said Vinke, who consequently posted the fastest split time at checkpoint one. “That made it very explosive, because after every turn you have to accelerate hard again to get back up to speed. Plus, a time trial is always short. To me, it felt a bit like cyclocross because of that explosive nature.”

"It was also nice to be able to check out the course on TV beforehand. Their course was a bit different, but the start and finish were the same, so that definitely helped." Vinke started relatively early and watched one rider after another struggle. “I was really shaking. I don’t know if it was because of the race I was in, the nerves, or the cold—maybe a combination of everything. The hot seat is great, but it’s not much fun when you’re that nervous,” she laughed.

In the end, Australian Felicity “Fliss” Wilson-Haffenden beat her own time. “I went into this time trial with the goal of finishing on the podium, focusing mainly on myself rather than on where I might end up. There aren’t that many time trials in a year, so I wasn’t really sure how everyone compared to each other,” said Vinke.

Despite that uncertainty, Vinke remained confident. “I’ve had a number of good training blocks this season, which meant I didn’t have to race every week. That helps enormously in getting ready—both physically and mentally—for the next phase. For example, after the Tour (in which she finished 11th, ed.), I had three weeks without races; that allowed me to recover well and prepare optimally.'

On Thursday, Vinke arrived in Canada, where she went on to win a medal four days later. “To be honest, I did struggle a bit with jet lag. But the upside is that the competitions are early in the morning. That way, you can stay somewhat in the European rhythm by going to bed early and getting up early. It’s been working really well so far; by 9:00 a.m., it already feels like the afternoon to me.”

Vinke—who is also still pursuing her degree in human movement science—moved from Picnic PostNL to SD Worx-Protime last winter.

“I’ve taken another step up; it’s one of the best teams in the world. I’m learning so much from the other riders, and we really approach races as a team focused on winning. I’m learning a lot, especially when it comes to tactics, because we’re constantly asking ourselves: How do we win this race? That’s incredibly valuable, because cycling isn’t just about riding hard—it’s also about making the right decisions.”

"The team fully supports me and believes in me, which gives me a lot of confidence. I really feel at home here. It’s fantastic to learn from experienced riders like Anna van der Breggen, Lotte Kopecky, and Mischa Bredewold,” said Vinke, who hasn’t quite mapped out her own path yet. "I'm not sure if I'll become a pure general classification rider. Short, more explosive climbs suit me better."

That offers hope for the U23 road race in Montreal, which features the Mont Royal climb (1.6 kilometers at a 7.8 percent gradient). “It’s going to be a really tough race of attrition. The climbs are relatively short, but because we repeat the same lap so often, it really takes its toll. In the U23 category, it’s sometimes hard to predict tactically: the overall level of competition varies widely, which can cause the race to suddenly come to a standstill.”

"It's a completely different dynamic than in the elite ranks," she summarizes. Nevertheless, she is confident of a positive outcome. “I’m in good shape and have a decent sprint for a climber. Since the finish is on the flat, there are opportunities. But a road race remains a lottery where anything can happen, unlike a time trial.”