Puck Moonen finished the European Gravel Championship months after surgery: 'Slowly learning to trust my body'

Puck Moonen made her return to gravel racing on Sunday. The Dutch rider competed in the European Gravel Championships in Houffalize, finishing 46th, having only been back on her bike for a few months following surgery on her femoral artery. The race was won by Femke Markus, who finished ahead of Shirin van Anrooij and Axelle Dubau-Prévot (Pauline’s sister).

Moonen announced just last Saturday that she would be competing in the European Championships. “I actually didn’t expect to be at the starting line of the European Championships tomorrow, but here we are! The year started all over again after surgery on my iliac artery.”

"Lots of ups and downs during my recovery, a serious crash, countless canceled races, and revised plans have made my season anything but easy. I'm just trying to make the best of every setback and get back on the starting line, wearing a really beautiful jersey. My right leg might not be fully recovered yet, but I’m going to give it everything I’ve got tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll make it to the finish line in one piece,” she said before the race.

In the end, Moonen crossed the finish line unscathed, placing 46th out of a total of 50 finishers: 1 hour and 12 minutes behind winner Markus. “The course was relentless, with a very steep climb right from the start. My right leg usually doesn’t handle such tough starts very well, but I managed to pace myself a bit better right from the starting blocks and was able to conserve my energy much better for the rest of the race,” said Moonen.

"It was still really tough to pace myself properly in such a long race with so much climbing. Halfway through, my handlebars came loose, which led to a few eventful descents and a precarious riding position. But in the end, I made it after someone tightened my handlebars in the final kilometers,” she noted with satisfaction.

"A really tough day, but with a lot of positives. My right leg isn't cramping, and I'm slowly learning to trust my body (and mind!) again. It would have been much easier not to start, given the potential consequences of racing when you’re not 100% fit, but I’m glad I made that difficult choice and accepted the uncertainty that came with it. It really does pay off sometimes,” she concludes.