Karlijn Swinkels

Karlijn Swinkels is a Dutch former junior world champion in the time trial. She is an all-rounder, who can climb well on the shorter efforts and also sprint from smaller groups. This means she is often seen in breakaways or on the attack, and is a very active rider in the peloton. Her biggest win was a stage of the Vuelta a Burgos in 2019, though she has been up in the top 10 of the Spring Classics too as well as claiming the overall title and both stages at the AG Tour de la Semois in 2023.

The 25-year-old left behind Jumbo-Visma for pastures new in 2024, joining UAE Team ADQ in a bid to target podiums in the Spring Classics. Swinkels tends to do best in her familiar territory of Belgium and the Netherlands, whether that’s one-day or stage races. Though her kick is not the most explosive, she is a strong rider who can stay away for a long time.