After 55 medals and a Tokyo debacle, cycling national coach Gunnewijk announces his retirement

NOS Cycling•today, 10:19

Loes Gunnewijk will stop as national coach of the Dutch road cyclists after the current season. Gunnewijk has been coach of the Dutch riders at the European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games since 2019.

“Although I still enjoy my work, after two Olympic cycles I am ready for a new challenge,” says Gunnewijk in a press release from the KNWU cycling association.

Former cyclist Gunnewijk started in 2017 as a talent coach and assistant paracycling coach at the KNWU. Two years later, as national coach, she became responsible for the women’s teams of elite riders, juniors and promises. Under her leadership, 55 medals have been won in those three categories at European and global competitions to date.

Yet followers will also remember Gunnewijk as the coach who played a leading role in missing out on Olympic gold in Tokyo. The Dutch riders were top favorites, but – partly due to the lack of communication via earphones – did not notice that Austrian Anna Kiesenhofer was alone in the lead.

Annemiek van Vleuten thought her ultimate dream had come true and crossed the line cheering, but then had to settle for silver.

“Have I slept? I have had better nights…”, Gunnewijk responded at the time to missing out on the gold medal.

Watch the moment in Tokyo here:

Silver Van Vleuten makes a mistake at the finish: ‘I thought I was 1st’

Shortly after the Tokyo Games, Gunnewijk’s contract was extended for another four years. Things went wrong again for the Dutch team at the next World Cup. There was a lot of criticism of the team’s tactics, also from within. “It was every man for himself,” said Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, who spoke of ‘loose sand’.

The KNWU thanks Gunnewijk for her period with the association, in which she ‘did not have an easy assignment’. “To continually create a team from a group with all champions is an achievement,” said technical director Wilbert Broekhuizen.

“Loes has created a top sports climate in recent years in which many riders have been able to win medals.”

“We have grown enormously with the riders and staff, in a sport that has developed significantly in recent years,” said Gunnewijk in the message about her upcoming departure. “In recent years I have worked with great pleasure and passion with the talent and world top within women’s cycling.”

It is not yet known what Gunnewijk will do after this year, in which the European Championships in Belgian Limburg, the Olympic Games in Paris and the World Cup in Zurich are still on the programme.