The Netherlands has revealed strong line-ups for the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire later this month, with potential winners for both the men's and women's road races.
Mathieu van der Poel is the big name on the men's roster, with some strong support that includes Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner Niki Terpstra.
Bauke Mollema, Dylan van Baarle, Mike Teunissen, Sebastian Langeveld, Jos van Emden and Pieter Weening will also start the 285km race between Harrogate and Yorkshire.
Van der Poel, despite being just 24, is one of the favourites to take the rainbow bands in a sensational season that saw him win Amstel Gold Race and De Brabantse Pijl among his six victories on the road this year. He also took three UCI Mountain Bike World Cup victories this summer, taking a break from the road following Amstel Gold.
Mathieu van der Poel wins Brabantse Pijl 2019 (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The women's team will be clear favourites to deliver victory in their 150km race from Bradford to Harrogate. Three-time world champion Marianne Vos and defending champion Anna van der Breggen both feature, as does two-time world time trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten and 2017 road race champion Chantal Blaak.
Perhaps the most surprising omission from the team is Lorena Wiebes, who misses out despite sitting top of the UCI World Ranking and taking 15 wins this season. The remaining places in the team are taken by Amy Pieters, Floortje Mackaij, Lucinda Brand and Demi Vollering.
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For the time trials, Van Vleuten, Van der Breggen and Brand will ride in the 30km women's race, while Van Baarle and Van Emden ride in the 54km men's race.
Pieters, Brand and Riejanna Markus are the three women in the first ever Worl Championships mixed relay competition, with Koen Bouwman joining Mollema and Van Emden to make up the team. The Dutch won the first ever mixed relay race at the European Championships in August.
Netherlands squad for UCI Road World Championships 2019
Elite men
Individual time trial: (54 km)
Dylan van Baarle
Jos van Emden
Road race: (285 km)
Mathieu van der Poel
Niki Terpstra
Bauke Mollema
Dylan van Baarle
Mike Teunissen
Sebastian Langeveld
Jos van Emden
Pieter Weening
Elite women
Individual time trial: (30 km)
Annemiek van Vleuten
Anna van der Breggen
Lucinda Brand
Road race: (150 km)
Anna van der Breggen
Chantal Blaak
Lucinda Brand
Amy Pieters
Floortje Mackaij
Annemiek van Vleuten
Demi Vollering
Marianne Vos
Mixed relay: (28 km)
Amy Pieters
Lucinda Brand
Riejanne Markus
Jos van Emden
Koen Bouwman
Bauke Mollema
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Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
