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 Melchers in 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Maria Wilhelmina Johanna Melchers-Van Poppel | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 September 1975 Arnhem, the Netherlands | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 59 kg (130 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | Retired | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Road | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Rider | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rider type | Allround | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Professional teams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2002 | Rabobank | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2001 | Acca Due O-Lorena Camicie | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2004 | Farm Frites–Hartoli | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2009 | Buitenpoort–Flexpoint Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Cervélo 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
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Maria Wilhelmina Johanna "Mirjam" Melchers-Van Poppel (born 26 September 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[when?] as well as winning highly rated races. She was a one-day specialist but has managed smaller stage races.
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 7 September 2006 Melchers crashed during the third stage of the Euregio Tour. She broke her pelvis, a hip and her jaw.