Leontien van Moorsel

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Olympic medal record
Women's Cycling
Gold	2000 Sydney	Road race
Gold	2000 Sydney	Time trial
Gold	2000 Sydney	Individual pursuit
Silver	2000 Sydney	Points race
Gold	2004 Athens	Time trial
Bronze	2004 Athens	Individual pursuit

Leontien van Moorsel (born March 22, 1970, Boekel) is a Dutch cyclist. She is also known under her married name, Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel.

Van Moorsel started her professional career in the late 1980s, and soon was one of the best cyclists in the world. She won major races both on the track, and on the road. In the first half of the 1990s, she won the Tour Feminin twice, after fierce competition with her main rival in that time, Jeannie Longo.

Van Moorsel dropped out of cycling in 1994 because of psychological problems. She suffered from depressions and anorexia nervosa. Together with Michael Zijlaard, whom she married in 1995, she overcame these problems and returned to cycling, although it was not expected she would race at top level any more.

However, she was selected to compete at the World Championships in 1998. Here, at here first major tournament for four years, she surprised everyone by winning the time trial and coming second in the road race. Since then, she has won a number of world titles.

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Van Moorsel was one of the most successful athletes. She won gold medals both on the road (road race and time trial), and on the track (3km pursuit). At the 2004 Summer Olympics, she was again one of the favorites in the road race, but she fell in the penultimate lap. Although she was injured, she started in the time trial three days later, and successfully defended her title. With 4 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze Olympic medals, Leontien van Moorsel is one of the most successful Dutch athletes ever.

After her last race at the 2004 Olympics, the individual pursuit, Leontien van Moorsel has retired from professional cycling.

[edit] Major results

1990
- World champion 3km pursuit
- World champion 50km team time trial
1991
- World champion road race
1992
- Tour Feminin
1993
- World champion road race
- Tour Feminin
1998
- World champion time trial
1999
- World champion time trial
2000
- Olympic champion road race
- Olympic champion time trial
- Olympic champion 3km pursuit
- Olympic silver medalist points race
2001
- World champion 3km pursuit
2002
- World champion 3km pursuit
2003
- World champion 3km pursuit
- World hour record: 46,06511 km
2004
- Olympic champion time trial
- Olympic bronze medallist 3km pursuit

Van Moorsel was chosen as Dutch Sportswoman of the year in 1990, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004.

Preceded by: Elly van Hulst	Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 1990	Succeeded by: Ingrid Haringa
Preceded by: Ellen van Langen	Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 1993	Succeeded by: Anky van Grunsven
Preceded by: Marianne Timmer	Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 1999	Succeeded by: Leontien van Moorsel
Preceded by: Leontien van Moorsel	Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 2000	Succeeded by: Inge de Bruijn
Preceded by: Verona van de Leur	Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 2003	Succeeded by: Leontien van Moorsel
Preceded by: Leontien van Moorsel	Dutch Sportswoman of the Year 2004	Succeeded by: Edith van Dijk