ZULTE, BELGIUM - JULY 17: (L-R) Maike Van Der Duin of Netherlands, Zoe Backstedt of Great Britain and Team CANYON//SRAM - Purple Leader Jersey, Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Team SD Worx - Protime, stage winner Charlotte Kool of Netherlands and Team Fenix-Premier Tech - Orange Best Dutch Rider Jersey, Clara Copponi of France and Team Lidl - Trek and Maike Van Der Duin of Netherlands and Team CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto sprint at finish line during the 12th Baloise Ladies Tour 2026, Stage 2 a 130.4km stage from Zulte to Zulte on July 17, 2026 in Zulte, Belgium. (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images).
When Dutch rider Maike van der Duin first jumped into the professional peloton in 2023 as a 21-year-old she wasted no time in making her mark, taking to the podium at Women's WorldTour events from Ronde van Drenthe, Gent Wevelgem and RideLondon Classique during the opening months of her career.
It has, however, been far harder to find a place on those steps since. First an ankle injury and personal loss stymied her 2024 season, with her road race podium exploits limited to a third on stage 3 of Vuelta a Burgos, and things didn't get easier in 2025.
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