Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Ellen van Dijk (Specialized-lululemon) took victory in the Netherlands elite men’s and women’s time trial championships in Emmen, Drenthe, yesterday. The result was a first for Paris-Nice stage winner Westra, but the regaining of the title she won in 2007 for van Dijk.
Westra completed the 45.7km course in a time of 55’27”, just eight seconds quicker than 2008 champion Lars Boom (Rabobank), and 21 seconds quicker than Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), who took the bronze medal. Defending, and four-time champion Stef Clement (Rabobank) finished fourth, 32 seconds back.
After a bronze medal in the 2010 edition, this is the first time that Westra has been on the Netherlands time trial podium.
“This title means more to me than the road title of next Sunday,” he said, according to Wielerland. “This is my discipline and to be the Dutch champion is great. Every year red, white and blue was my goal, but now it finally worked.”
In the absence of defending champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank), who elected not to ride as she recovers from a fractured collarbone, the women’s title was up for grabs. Van Dijk, who finished second behind Vos last year, took back the title that she won in 2007, as she completed the 22.65km course in 30’27”. Vos’ Rabobank teammate Annemiek van Vleuten was the only rider to get close to van Dijk’s time, finishing just 14 seconds short, with another teammate - and last year’s fourth place - Iris Slappendel stepping up a place to take the bronze medal, 1’07” behind.
The women’s road race will take place on Saturday, June 23rd, in Kerkrade, Limburg, where Vos may, or may not, chose to defend her title. The men’s will take place the following day, where Westra’s Vacansoleil-DCM teammate Pim Ligthart will defend his.
Results Netherlands national time trial championships
Elite men
1. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM, 45.7km in 55’27”
2. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank @ 8s
3. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 21s
4. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank @ 32s
5. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank @ 37s
6. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank @ 52s
7. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Argos-Shimano @ 1’45”
8. Martin Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 1’59”
9. Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge @ 2’04”
10. Dion Beukeboom (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke @ 2’13”
Elite women
1. Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Specialized-lululemon, 22.65km in 30’27”
2. Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women @ 14s
3. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women @ 1’07”
4. Nathalie van Gogh (Ned) Team Ibis Cycles @ 1’20”
5. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Sengers Ladies @ 1’36”
6. Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge @ 1’41”
7. Anouska Helena Koster (Ned) Dolmans-Boels @ 1’50”
8. Marijn de Vries (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl @ 1’51”
9. Vera Koedooder (Ned) Sengers Ladies @ 1’59”
10. Amy Pieters (Ned) Skil-Koga @ 2’00”