Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel

In the early 1990s Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel threatened the supremacy of France’s Jeannie Longo as the best female cyclist. Under her maiden name van Moorsel, she won two road world titles (1991, 1993), two Grande Boucles (1992-93), and the world title in the individual pursuit on the track (1990). But van Moorsel suffered from anorexia and bulimia, an eating disorder, and lost 20 kg (44 lbs.) while already slim. Her cycling career suffered, but she returned to prominence in the late 1990s, winning the individual time trial World Championship in 1998 and 1999 and the world pursuit title again in 2001-2003. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, she had the most successful Olympics ever by a woman cyclist. She won the individual pursuit in world record time, won the road race and the individual time trial, and added a silver medal on the track in the points race. Van Moorsel continued competing and at Athens in 2004 won a gold medal in the individual time trial and a bronze medal in the individual pursuit. In 2003, she bettered the world hour record, recording 46.065 km.