Mirjam Melchers

Maria Wilhelmina Johanna "Mirjam" Melchers-Van Poppel (born September 26, 1975 in Arnhem, Gelderland) is a female former racing cyclist from the Netherlands, married to former sprinter Jean-Paul van Poppel. She was one of the leading cyclists in the world, having held the UCI number one ranking as well as winning highly rated races. She was a one-day specialist but has managed smaller stage races.

Mirjam Melchers
Melchers in 2007
Personal information
Full nameMaria Wilhelmina Johanna Melchers-Van Poppel
Born (1975-09-26) September 26, 1975
Arnhem, the Netherlands
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight59 kg (130 lb)
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Rider typeAllround
Professional teams
1998–2002Rabobank
2001–2001Acca Due O-Lorena Camicie
2004–2004Farm Frites-Hartoli
2005–2009Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team
2010Cervélo TestTeam
Major wins
Primavera Rosa World Cup (2002)
Grande Boucle, 3 stages
Holland Ladies Tour (2000, 2004)
Giro dell Alto Adige (2001)
Ronde van Vlaanderen (2005,2006)
Ster van Walcheren (2003)
National Champion (2000)
Castilla y Leon (2003)
Medal record
Representing  Netherlands
Women's road cycling
World Championships
2003 Road race
Women's cyclo-cross
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
2005 Women elite race

In 2003, she won the GP Feminas Castilla y Leon round of the World Cup and finished third overall in the series behind Nicole Cooke and German sprinter Regina Schleicher. Melchers also finished first in the Damesronde van Drenthe and the Emakumeen Bira, before bringing her season to a close with a silver medal at the world championship road race in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

On September 7, 2006 Melchers crashed during the third stage of the Euregio Tour. She broke her pelvis, a hip and her jaw.

Career highlights

Note: Beginning in 1997, the Union Cycliste Internationale awarded points to riders based on performances in races. Races were classified in categories. Although the system has evolved, major stage races are generally category 1 (strongest) and category 2. In the listings below, these categories, where known, are in parentheses. GC stands for General classification.

1998
1st Ronde van Dordrecht
1st stage Holland Ladies Tour
1st Westerbeek
1999
1st stage Street Skills Women's Classic
1st stage Tour de l'Aude
1st stage Women's Challenge
1st stage Grande Boucle Feminine
1st stage Holland Ladies Tour
2000
1st  Netherlands road championships
1st GC + 2 stages Holland Ladies Tour
1st, 2 stages Tour de Snowy
1st stage Grande Boucle Feminine
1st Ronde van Haarsteeg
1st Ronde van Geldrop
1st Ronde van de Witte Brug
3rd Canberra World Cup
3rd overall World Cup
2001
1st GC + stage, Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen
1st GC + 2 stages, Giro dell Alto Adige
1st stage, Tour de Snowy
2nd overall World Cup
2nd Canberra World Cup
2nd Amstel Gold Race
5th World Championships road race
2002
1st Primavera Rosa World Cup
1st stage (TTT), Grande Boucle Feminine
1st stage + 2nd GC, Tour de Snowy
1st prologue + 3rd GC, Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen
1st stage 6b + 2nd GC, Holland Ladies Tour
1st stage, Emakumeen Bira
1st Ronde van Oud-Vossemeer
2nd UCI rankings
2nd overall World Cup
2nd Amstel Gold Race
3rd Castilla y Leon
3rd Canberra World Cup
2003
UCI Points list – 2nd place
World Road Race Championships – 2nd place
World Cup (overall points) – 3rd place
Holland Ladies Tour (cat. 1) – 4th place
Rund um die Nurnberger Altstadt (Ger) World Cup – 6th place
GP de Plouay (Fra) World Cup – 3rd place
Emakumeen Bira (cat. 1) – 1st place GC, stage victory
Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin (cat. 1) – 4th place
La Fleche Wallonne (Bel) World Cup – 9th place
Amstel Gold (Ned) World Cup – 6th place
Damesronde van Drenthe (cat. 1) – 1st place, stage victory
Castilla y Leon (Spa) World Cup – 1st place
Vuelta a Castilla-Leon (cat. 1) – 2nd place
Bellarine Tour (cat. 2) – 4th place
1st GC + stage, Ster van Walcheren – 1st place GC, stage victory
Ronde van Oud-Gastel – 1st place
Ronde van Oud-Vossemeer – 1st place
2004
UCI Points list – 2nd place
World Road Race Championships – 9th place
World Time Trial Championships – 6th place
Giro della Toscana (cat. 1) – 8th place GC
Rund um die Nurnberger Altstadt (Ger) World Cup – 9th place
Holland Ladies Tour (Ned) – 1st place GC, stage victory
GP Plouay (Fra) World Cup – 2nd place
Olympic Games Road Race – 6th place
Thuringen-Rundfahrt (cat. 1) – 3rd place GC
Giro d'Italia Femminile (cat. 1) – 4th place GC
Emakumeen Bira (cat. 1) – 2nd place GC
Ronde van Vlaanderen – 4th place
Castilla y Leon (Spa) World Cup – 3rd place
Castilla y Leon Tour (cat. 1) – 1st place GC, stage victory
Primavera Rosa (Ita) World Cup – 2nd place
2005
UCI Points list – 4th place
World Championships
Road Race – 13th place
Time Trial – 7th place
Cyclocross – Bronze Medal
Giro della Toscana (cat. 1) – 3rd place GC, stage victory
Holland Ladies Tour (cat. 1) – 3rd place GC
GP de Plouay (Fra) World Cup – 8th place
GP Wales World Cup – 7th place
Sparkassen Giro – 3rd place
Giro d'Italia Femminile (cat. 1) – 8th place GC, stage victory
Emakumeen Bira (cat. 1) – 3rd place GC
Emakumeen Saria (cat. 2) – 1st place
Montreal (Can) World Cup – 3rd place
Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin (cat. 1) – 6th place
Fleche Wallonne (Bel) World Cup – 4th place
Damesronde van Drenthe (cat. 1) – 4th place GC
Ronde van Vlaanderen (Bel) World Cup – 1st place
Primavera Rosa (Ita) World Cup – 5th place
Geelong (Aus) World Cup – 6th place
Geelong Tour (cat. 2) – 4th place GC
2006 (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team)
Ronde van Vlaanderen (Bel) World Cup – 1st place
2007
Grote Prijs Gerrie Knetemann – 1st place
Emakumeen Saria – 2nd place
2007 Chrono Champenois – Trophée Européen – 2nd place
2008 (Team Flexpoint)
2009
2009 Ladies Tour of Qatar (cat. 1) – 5th place GC

See also

References
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