Dutch federation U-turn on under-23 cuts with appointment of Chantal van den Broek-Blaak as women's U23 national coach

Van den Broek-Blaak became world champion in 2017 (Image credit: Getty Images) Recently retired Dutch pro Chantal van den Broek-Blaak is set for a return to the sport, joining the Dutch national federation (KNWU) as coach for the under-23 women's team ahead of the 2026 World and European Championships.The appointment comes after the KNWU made significant cuts to their U23 programmes at the start of 2025, letting go of their U23 coach and cutting participation in the World Championships, European Championships and men's Tour de l'Avenir.The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!No new men's U23 coach has been officially announced since then, nor any confirmation of Dutch plans for the World Championships in Montréal. The Tour de l'Avenir is no longer a question, as it will be raced in trade teams from 2026 onwards. Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined Cyclingnews in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at GCN, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men's and women's Tours de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women's cycling, and women's sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.