Interview : Anouska Koster (EN)

Interview Anouska Koster

If you can win ahead of riders like Marianne Vos and Annemiek van Vleuten then you have to be a very strong rider. Anouska Koster managed to do it, and that even on the Dutch national championship where she won a very prestigious jersey. She was allowed to wear them a whole year. 2016 wouldn't be her only succesful year. In the past seasons she kept winning as well. Let's get to know her better in this interview.

In 2016 you became Dutch national champion. How did you feel during that year in the national jersey?

It was very special to be allowed to wear that jersey after the race. I've won the race and got this beautiful jersey as a reward. It was also a team performance. This year in the national jersey was also very special. I've been recognised everywhere quickly and I also received some extra attention. I've really wanted to show and honour the jersey.

Why does the Netherlands have so many good riders in comparing with other (sometimes bigger) countries?

I also ask myself that sometimes ;-) I think that it's mostly because the Netherlands are a real cycling country with many beautiful cycling paths and often very well maintained roads. There are also many cycling clubs. Because of that many talents have the opportunities to grow. In many other countries, this is not the case. Because of this many cycling talent doesn't get noticed and other sports are more popular. Problably, many other women that chose for other sports, could have been very good in cycling as well. The Netherlands also have a long and impressive history in women cycling with iconic riders like Leontien van Moorsel en Marianne Vos. That inspirs girl and women to do this sport as well.

What are your favourite races?

Every race has it's charms. I enjoy riding races in Flanders or the Amstel Gold Race myself. Healthy Ageing Tour, Thüringen Rundfahrt and the Giro are the most remarkable stage races.

How do you look as a pro cyclist towards the coronacrisis? It's hard to motivate yourself? How do you maintain your condition?

It's an uncertain time, for everyone. You can't control. Staying healthy and doing so much effort for it as possible is the first priority now. In this period the most important for a rider is to maintain your condition, but not to do extreme things. If your resistance is low then you're also more likely to get sick or to infect others. My motivation is still good, even that we don't know when we can race again. Off course, there sometimes a day when you don't have so much sense to train. But varietyin training and doing something else sometimes makes it enjoyable.

What are your goals on a long term?

Winning races in the Women's World Tour. Results from the past years give me motivation to keep giving everything to be part of the of top of women cycling.

What do you enjoy to do outside of cycling?

I'm always enjoying it to be occupied by something. I enjoy making walks in nature, or making a trip with my camper when I can and also watching a movie sometimes.

Who were your idols before you started doing cycling?

I didn't have them to be honest. I didn't knew a lot about the cycling world when I started cycling. I didn't watch races on TV as well. I mostly just wanted to have a race bike myself to make a nice ride myself.

Do you dream of a Paris – Roubaix or a Tour de France for women? Or are you statisfied with the current calender?

I would really like a Tour de France. For now this race is still only 1 day and an expansion of it would be good for the sport. The Tour de France is popular among a big audience so if women could ride a multiple days Tour de France as well, then it could be really good for our sport. In the past years there have been made already good steps in the avaliablity of races for women. The Amstel God Race and Strade Bianche have been added to the calendar for example. Paris-Roubaix can join without doubts. It would be nice when the women peloton would also be able to ride all 5 monuments (Milano – Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardi). The current calendar is also filled with beautiful races. It only doesn't reach the big cycling audience sometimes. That is because not all races are broadcasted on TV or through livestream, but also because the UCI doesn't do enough effort to promote women cycling, in my eyes. For some races there are for example summaries of the men's races, but nothing has been showed of the women's race while they finish 2 hours before the men and the camera's are already there. We're on a good track with women cycling but there is still work to do.