Promising young Dutch racer Shirin van Anrooij may have recently had to end her 2023-2024 cyclocross season early because of injuries, but the Lidl-Trek racer nonetheless extended her contract with her current team this week - until the end of 2026.
“Shirin will continue to proudly represent Lidl-Trek on the road and Baloise Trek Lions when competing in cyclocross,” the team said in the press release confirming the news.
Part of Lidl-Trek since 2020, Van Anrooij clinched her first professional victory last year at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda - Comune di Cittiglio. That was followed by third in Amstel Gold and her first-ever GC podium of a WorldTour stage race in the Vuelta a Burgos, where a strong performance on the mighty Lagunas de Neila climb ensured she claimed second overall.
Later that season, after completing the Giro Donne, she won the inaugural Tour de l’Avenir Femmes and although her current cyclo-cross campaign was cut short when she crashed and broke some ribs, Van Anrooij is clearly highly motivated for her upcoming road season.
“To be honest, the decision to stay with the Team was super easy. I think there wasn’t even anything to decide, I just needed to sign the contract,” Van Anrooij said in the team press release.
As well as pointing to the opportunities to learn from other more experienced riders like Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini, Van Anrooij said, “If you look at last year, a lot of puzzle pieces came together in the Classics and I was able to win my first WorldTour race at Trofeo Binda which wouldn’t have been possible without the support of this team. I can’t see myself racing in any other team’s jersey.”
Ina Teutenberg, Lidl-Trek DS added: “Extending with Shirin was a no-brainer. She’s a smart young woman who takes advice on board and absorbs experience from those around her because she’s determined to reach her potential, which is very high.”
While keen to take things steadily in 2024 - “I’m want to continue my development without skipping any steps” - and motivated to support her teammates as much as she could as well, Van Anrooij said she would be targeting both the Classics and GC in stage racing in 2024. Furthemore, she said, “I’m dreaming of working towards a GC podium in one of the Grand Tours.”
