Ellen van Dijk extends with Trek-Segafredo through 2024

This article originally appeared on Velo News

Ellen van Dijk has extended her tenure with Trek-Segafredo through 2024.

The reigning time trial world champion is one of the team's originals, having joined the squad for its first season in 2019.

Trek-Segafredo has added a number of new riders to its roster over the last week with the likes of Amanda Spratt, Lisa Klein, Gaia Realini announced in the last week.

Van Dijk is part of the existing core of the squad and is one of its strongest domestiques as well as being a leader in her own right.

"I am super happy to stay here. I really feel at home with Trek-Segafredo, and I wouldn't want to continue my career in any other team," Van Dijk said. "In fact, I couldn't even imagine doing that.

“I have been part of Trek-Segafredo since they started the women's team in 2019 and because I have been here since the beginning, I really feel part of it. Everybody always says their team 'feels like a family' and I don't really like using that phrase so much but that is exactly what it's like here. It's hard to describe it in any other way."

Also read:

• Ellen van Dijk covers 49.254km to set new women's hour record

• Gallery: Ellen van Dijk's world hour record Trek Speed Concept

• Ellen van Dijk: 'The hour record is the pinnacle as a time trialist'

Van Dijk has enjoyed a stellar 12 months, going back to when she regained the world time trial title in Bruges.

This season, she has secured a number of victories, including a stage4 of the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, the overall title at the Bloeizone Fryslan Tour and the Baloise Ladies Tour last month.

However, Van Dijk's biggest achievement this season was setting a new Hour Record in May. The Dutchwoman set a new distance of 49.254km, over 800m further than the previous record set by Joss Lowden.

"Since they stepped into the world of women's cycling, Trek have done such an amazing job in the development of our sport," she said. "They have really set a new standard which a lot of other teams are now following, and I am super proud to ride for Trek and for this team, which really has such good intentions and does so much for women's cycling.

"Of course, this year, the team took another step forward with the Hour Record which was such a special experience. The team and Trek put so much effort into that and I feel super thankful for everything they did,” she said. “I was really supported to the maximum and knowing that is a very special feeling. The investment in the production of such a great live show as well made the day so much cooler.

“Overall, the whole experience really cemented for me, how much the Team values its riders and the willingness to support us 100 percent to accomplish our biggest goals."

Despite her bulging palmares, the 35-year-old Van Dijk still has plenty that she would like to achieve in the coming years.

"I've signed for two more years which will take me to 2024 and the next Olympic year so, after missing out on a spot on the Tokyo team, I would love to ride there. I am still on the hunt for the Olympic medal," Van Dijk said.

"Then for sure, I want to continue to excel in time trials, that's really where my heart lies in this sport, it's the thing I like the most. Maybe one day I might consider riding around in circles again for an hour, who knows? I also have goals in the spring classics of course too and I would say my dream race to win would be Paris-Roubaix. Those are my main focuses for the next two years."

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