Rooijakkers expecting first child, 'looking forward to returning to competition next season'

Pauliena Rooijakkers and UAE Team ADQ announced on Monday that the 33-year-old Dutchwoman is expecting her first child in November. The Tour de France podium finisher is planning to return to racing in 2027. "Right now I want to fully enjoy this new chapter of my life, but I also feel that I still have more to give in cycling," she said. "My intention is to return to racing after the pregnancy. Even during these last months I have continued riding almost every day and closely following all the team’s races on the TV. Cycling remains an important part of my life and I’m looking forward to returning to competition next season, just as many other athletes have successfully done after experiencing motherhood."