Chrono des Nations: Ellen van Dijk wins final race before retirement
Alessia Vigilia and Christina Schweinberger third in Les Herbiers
Ellen van Dijk capped off her 20-year career with a victory at the Chrono des Nations, her final race with Lidl-Trek before retiring from professional racing.
"A fairytale ending,” Lidl-Trek posted on social media, “winning her final race at #ChronoDesNations”
The three-time World Time Trial Champion (2013, 2021, 2022) celebrated the 71st victory of her illustrious career, which also included five European titles and a solo triumph at the Tour of Flanders. The 38-year-old Dutch rider won 42 time trials and is a former Hour Record holder.
Van Dijk acknowledged that fears about racing in today’s peloton, particularly after enduring numerous crashes and injuries, contributed to her decision to retire.
The final rider to take the course, Van Dijk, covered the undulating 26.7km course in Les Herbiers with a winning time of 35:57.
She beat Alessia Vigilia (FDJ-Suez) by one second and Austrian time trial champion Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck) by 11 seconds. Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) missed the podium by one second and took fourth place.
Results
Results powered by FirstCycling
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Quiz! How many Giro d'Italia winners can you name?
How well do you know the winners of Italy's three-week men's race? -
Take our survey and help to shape the future of women's cycling
Share your thoughts for a chance to win a $300/£250 Amazon voucher -
Tour of Bright: The club-run race that's got Oscar Onley, Brodie Chapman and Luke Plapp pinning on a number in December
'I can go all out and see what happens' Onley told Cyclingnews as the fourth-placed finisher at Tour de France tests pre-season form by adding name to list of challengers to Plapp at home tour -
Beyond the GC battle - The 2026 Giro d'Italia offers more than the fight for the maglia rosa - Analysis
Numerous hilly stage finishes offer chances for Nys, Brennan, Magnier and other young talents to shine but will it be a dramatic year in the GC?




