Ladies Mijntje Geurts after impressive season debut: "I want to develop myself as a GC rider"

At only 19 years old, Mijntje Geurts is already riding her second season with the Lotto Dstny Ladies. The Dutch cyclist successfully traded the gym for the racing bike and looks back on a strong spring campaign, where she rode some good results in the Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne: "I really enjoyed the past few weeks and I am satisfied with the results I have achieved. In the long term, I want to develop myself mainly as a general classification rider. I still have a lot to learn, but within Lotto Dstny I am in the ideal environment to do so."

For Mijntje, racing was not exactly a childhood dream: "Although I did ride now and then, I was actually a gymnast as a child. Cycling required too much training and I didn't like that at all back then. When I went to high school, I had to ride 30 kilometers each day. My friends often complained about it, but I didn't mind. That's how I got into the sport and exchanged the mat for the bike."

Geurts is currently in her second season with the Lotto Dstny Ladies: "I am so happy that I joined the team. I am still young, but so are the other riders. We get along so well." Due to her young age, Geurts still has a lot to learn but is convinced she can do so within the Lotto Dstny Ladies team: "I am very grateful to the team and the staff. I can ride a great program with a focus on development. This is mainly reflected in the tasks we get at the start of a race. The pressure is not on winning, but on individual goals that make us better riders."

The Dutch cyclist has already drawn some specific lessons from her time with the team: "I have mainly learned to eat and drink enough. I have encountered the man with the hammer a little too often on the bike. In addition, I have also learned not to put too much pressure on myself. I try to be at the start with an open mind now and to give my all in every race."

With that mindset, Geurts also started her spring campaign: "I actually had a bad winter, I was sick a lot and couldn't prepare optimally. In hindsight, I exceeded my expectations. I rode better than expected, and I am especially very satisfied with a 20th place in the Amstel Gold Race. Winning that race is really a career goal."

After a successful spring, the Dutch cyclist is looking to the future: "In the coming weeks, the focus will mainly be on getting my diploma. There are still some great climbing races coming up, in which I want to show myself again. If I really look far into the future, I want to develop myself mainly as a general classification rider. To do that, I have to learn to pace myself in races. I don't have much experience in stage races yet, so I want to focus more on that in the coming years."

Images: Facepeeters