RABOBANK-LIV - THE ORIGINAL SUPERTEAM
Cycling Weekly|October 19, 2023
A decade before SD Worx's stranglehold, another team ruled women's cycling. Tom Davidson uncovers the secrets of Rabobank-Liv's success
Tom Davidson
RABOBANK-LIV - THE ORIGINAL SUPERTEAM

There is one thing that staff and riders from the old Rabobank-Liv team like to brag about. It is not the team’s victories, of which there were over 150 spanning three seasons, including a hatful of World Championship titles. It is not the riders, the likes of Marianne Vos, Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten, who rode together in the Dutch squad’s colours. No, it has nothing to do with the racing at all.

“For a long time,” begins the team’s former sports director Eric van den Boom, “we were the only team with a bus.” The Dutchman smiles as he delivers the kicker. Look around a team paddock today, he explains, and every team has one, emblazoned with glossy sponsors, a row of turbo trainers lined in front. A decade ago, though, when Rabobank-Liv were in their heyday, their bus was unique.

The riders would blare music through its speakers on the drive to the start line. “In the first years, we were going to races with a camper and a car, and that was it,” says van den Boom. “Then we got a second sports director’s car, then came the team bus and more tools. It’s not the reason we were successful, but it made it more relaxed to work.”

Successful is an understatement for Rabobank-Liv’s reign of supremacy. If SD Worx’s dominance today seems unprecedented, a short flick back through the history books shows they are merely continuing where RabobankLiv left off. In 2014, the Netherlands-based outfit took 41 victories (47 if you count National, Continental and World Championships). The line-up, spearheaded by Vos, was made up of stars and future stars. They were the original women’s superteam.

Dream team 

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 19, 2023-Ausgabe von Cycling Weekly.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 19, 2023-Ausgabe von Cycling Weekly.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS CYCLING WEEKLYAlle anzeigen
CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Cycling Weekly

CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY

Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes

time-read
1 min  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX
Cycling Weekly

UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX

Newly crowned junior hill-climb champ shows his versatility by winning round seven on the mud

time-read
1 min  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR
Cycling Weekly

WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR

The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year

time-read
2 Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN
Cycling Weekly

11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN

Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how

time-read
9 Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Cycling Weekly

Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?

Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...

time-read
6 Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Cycling Weekly

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
MEET THE PARENTS
Cycling Weekly

MEET THE PARENTS

What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta

time-read
10 Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Cycling Weekly

HALF MAN HALF GOAT

Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
Cycling Weekly

Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management

The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Cycling Weekly

Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France

Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain

time-read
2 Minuten  |
December 19 - 26, 2024 (Double Issue)