Leontien van Moorsel

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Leontien van Moorsel


image_caption = Leontien van Moorsel
fullname = Leontien van Moorsel
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dateofbirth = birth date and age|1970|3|22
country = NED
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discipline = Road & Track
role = Rider
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updated = September 7, 2008

Leontine Martha Henrica Petronella 'Leontien' van Moorsel (born March 22 1970 in Boekel) is a Dutch racing cyclist. She is also known under her married name, Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel.

Van Moorsel started her career in the late 1980s and was soon one of the best cyclists in the world. She won major races both on the track, and on the road. In the first half of the 1990s, she won the Tour Féminin twice, after fierce competition with Jeannie Longo.

Van Moorsel dropped out of cycling in 1994 with depression and anorexia nervosa. Together with Michael Zijlaard, whom she married in 1995, she overcame her ill health. She was selected to compete at the world championships in 1998. Here, her first major tournament for four years, she surprised by winning the time trial and coming second in the road race. Since then, she has won a number of world titles.

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, van Moorsel was one of the most successful athletes. She won gold medals on the road (road race and time trial), and on the track (3km pursuit). At the 2004 Summer Olympics, she was one of the favorites in the road race but she fell in the penultimate lap. Despite injury, she competed in the time trial three days later and successfully defended her title. With four gold, one silver, and a bronze Olympic medal, Leontien van Moorsel is one of the most successful Dutch athletes ever.

After her last race at the 2004 Olympics, the individual pursuit, van Moorsel retired from professional cycling.

Major results

;1990:World champion 5km pursuit:World champion 50km team time trial;1991:World champion road race;1992:Tour Feminin;1993:World champion road race:Tour Feminin;1998:World champion time trial;1999:World champion time trial;2000:Olympic champion road race:Olympic champion time trial:Olympic champion 3km pursuit:Olympic silver medallist points race;2001:World champion 3km pursuit;2002:World champion 3km pursuit;2003:World champion 3km pursuit:World hour record: 46,06511 km;2004:Olympic champion time trial:Olympic bronze medallist 3km pursuit

External links

*nl icon [http://www.leontienvanmoorsel.nl/ Official site]
*nl icon [http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/coureurfichestats.php?coureurid=6518 Results]

Awards