Pauliena Rooijakkers announced that she will take a break from racing to become a mother for the first time this November. The 33-year-old Dutch cyclist plans to return to cycling in the future, as she feels she “has more to give” to the sport.
After securing top ten finishes in all three Grand Tours, including a third place in the 2024 Tour de France Femmes, Rooijakkers joined UAE Team ADQ in 2026 for a two-year contract. Her last race this year was the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in February.
“In recent years, the level of women’s cycling has increased enormously,” Rooijakkers said in a team release. “It is a sport that demands more and more from our bodies and, as athletes, there are times when we also have to face difficult moments related to health and personal wellbeing. Over the past months, with the support of the team, I have worked a lot on myself to rediscover balance, well-being, and peace of mind.”
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“This pregnancy came as a surprise, but as a woman it makes me incredibly happy. For me, it is also a positive sign and confirmation that my body is healthy again. These are completely new emotions for me and I probably still need time to fully realise everything that is happening, but I can truly say that I feel deeply happy and grateful knowing that soon a child will become part of our lives.”
While embracing this important life moment, Rooijakkers is also looking at what comes next in her cycling career.
“Right now I want to fully enjoy this new chapter of my life, but I also feel that I still have more to give in cycling. My intention is to return to racing after the pregnancy. Even during these last months I have continued riding almost every day and closely following all the team’s races on the TV. Cycling remains an important part of my life and I’m looking forward to returning to competition next season, just as many other athletes have successfully done after experiencing motherhood.”
Other riders have shown the way. Lizzie Deignan returned from her first pregnancy to win Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Tour of Britain, going on to have a second child during her career.
Crediting the example set by Deignan, Ellen van Dijk also returned to cycling post-pregnancy, taking stage victories at the Tour de Normandie Féminin, Vuelta España Femenina, and Vuelta a Extremadura Femenina before retiring at the end of 2025.
Rooijakkers shared the news on social media, where she received congratulations from across the peloton, with Tiffany Cromwell, Demi Vollering, Femke Markus, Urška Žigart, Femke Gerritse, and Floortje Mackaij among those sending their best wishes.
