Vollering and Van der Poel named Dutch cyclists of the year

Demi Vollering and Mathieu van der Poel have been named the Netherlands’ top cyclists of 2026, after a season in which both won world titles and major races.

Vollering, 29, received the Keetie van Oosten-Hage Trophy at the cycling gala in Utrecht. The FDJ United-Suez rider also won the Giro Women, the Tour de France Femmes for a second time, the Tour of Flanders and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. She became road world champion for the first time in September and retained her European title a week later.

Van der Poel was not at the gala to collect the Gerrit Schulte Trophy. It is his fifth win, following awards in 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024. Harrie Lavreysen won in 2025.

The 31-year-old Alpecin-Premier Tech rider claimed his eighth cyclocross world title this year, won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Saxo Classic, and took two Tour de France stages, including the final stage in Paris.