Words by James Ion - Photography by Sonam Gotthilf (Santa Val) & @tornanti_cc (SD Worx Pro-Time Team Camp)
Everybody knows the story by now, from soigneur to pro gravel racer, but there is way more to the journey of Geerike Schreurs than just that.
The tale of Geerike Schreurs, or just Gee, is one of overcoming not only the physical barriers to top-level sport but also the emotional and mental hurdles. From dealing with unfulfilled potential and family pressure to get a “normal job” to watching women she raced with succeeding, the way to the start line has been anything but straightforward. In our wide-ranging conversation, we talk about how these experiences have shaped her as an athlete and a person, and how her competitors should be wary of a focused Gee.
“I am feeling sick!” Gee tells me from her home in Girona, “I have all my family here, and I have a big family! One of them arrived ill, and then another got sick, then I raced, and well now I got sick too”. Not the best start to the season, but despite the setback, her first race back - Santa Val - was a success with a third place on Stage one and an overall second place, she is now well positioned on the Gravel Earth Series leaderboard.
A good sign for the season to come as this was the first race back after six months of recovery. During a bikepacking trip last August, she fell onto a metal railing and tore two muscles and cut two nerves in her armpit. “Recovering from that took quite a long time” she reflects, “and honestly, it’s still going on and off. It’s okay—I can race, I can train and everything—but it just takes a bit more time to fully heal, and sometimes my arm still bothers me.” This level of stoicism is a common theme in Gee’s rise to the top in the gravel scene. But, it wasn't always the case.
Obstacle Course
Born in Zwolle, in the Netherlands, Gee was not destined to be a cyclist. She played Volleyball up to the age of 19, and it was due to encouragement from a friend that she got into cycling. “I was riding with Anna van der Breggen (yes that one - Ed) and enjoyed it so much I joined a team with her.” It turned out Gee was rather good at cycling and it didn't take long before she was snapped up by Dolmans Landscaping Team (which was the first iteration of SD Worx). In 2012 she met up again with Anna van der Breggen and rode for the Belgium team Sengers Ladies. However, it was here that things began to sour.
“Back then, women’s cycling was very different. No salaries, no support. I was balancing school, work, and cycling, with no guidance or coaching,” she reflects, “I came to this team and it became clear it was very toxic and badly run”. Indeed, the then team representative was Marc Bracke, who, later, after a series of allegations of sexual misconduct was banned from the sport in 2021. He would, a year later, at only 54, commit suicide.
A toxic team environment was not the only barrier to her progression. Gee was also under pressure to conform to a normal life, “I faced family pressure to quit cycling—get married, have kids, live a “normal” life” remembers Gee. “I was unhappy, burned out, and with no financial support”. So in 2013 she left the sport, for what she imagined would be for good.
“She quit cycling, which at that time I thought was really sad that she did because she was really strong as a road cyclist," - Anna van der Breggen
Does she now look back and think she was even ready, would the young version of herself have been able to cope with being a pro-rider? After all her long-time friend Anna van der Breggen was in the same environment and went on to become a multiple world champion. “Anna was something else completely, nothing would have stopped her, she was the sort of person who had so much focus it would have been impossible to stop her”, Gee recalls “I was, like I said, burned out, you couldn't make a living. Maybe if I had the right support, things would have been different.”
Geerike Schreurs - The Come-Back
Now at 35 she has taken the risk to go back to something that gave her not only stress and pressure, but also great enjoyment, so much so that she has returned to the pro-ranks to much success. What then has changed, how is she now, able to face and overcome those challenges? “I’m mentally much stronger. I still have doubts, of course, but I’ve learned how to turn them into something positive. At the end of the day, I remind myself—it’s just bike racing.” Gee tells me, her confidence clearly showing through the screen, despite her illness. “Now, things are so much better for young women—development teams, salaries, coaching, mental health support. I wish I had those opportunities back then,” she comments.
“For me meeting people and building deep friendships along the way has been important. I’ve also been working with a mental coach, Molly Anderson. She helps me shift my mindset, especially when dealing with race situations. It’s easy to slip into negative thinking, but I’ve learned how to redirect that into something constructive. I’ve also accepted that I can’t be there for everyone all the time—I have to think about myself too. For me, the best performances come when I’m having fun, when I’m happy, smiling, joking. Everything else follows from that.”
It brings to mind the old adage ‘you cannot love, until you can love yourself’ “Exactly.” agrees Gee “Over the past two years, I’ve really come to that realization. I feel more ready to tackle new challenges, to be open to others, and to embrace where I am now. I struggle to put it into words sometimes, but I know I’ve grown a lot, and I’m really proud of that. And honestly, 35 feels like the perfect age—I wouldn’t mind staying 35 forever!”
Normally at this age most people don't take such risks, but Gee is not most people, she has gone the long way round but she is now fulfilling that potential, with a string of consistent impressive results in her first season, however, that elusive big win was missing. “I actually joke about it.” laughs Gee. “I seem to have a pattern of finishing second or third! Of course, I want to be on the top step of the podium. I’ve been out of racing for a long time. Last year was really about testing where I stood and figuring out how things were going to go. Looking back, I can be really happy with how consistent I was. But at the same time, we didn’t really target one specific race where I wanted to be at my absolute peak.” So year one was all about experience and finding where her strengths lie, without the pressure of focusing on one or two big results, whereas year two will be about targeting specific races. With her consistent level of performance, it must be a worry for her competitors if she is now going to aim for those big wins.
“I think when you’re on the start line, everyone wants to win. The difference comes in the preparation—the effort you put in before the race,” said Gee “This year, the big goals are the Traka and Unbound. I was so close to winning both last year, and while part of me wonders if I can go even further, I also see so many areas where I can improve based on what I learned. Who knows? Maybe this year will be my time.” This is where her support network is going to be vital, her mental coach Anderson, and for the first time in her career, a full-time coach in the form of long-term friend Anna van der Breggen.
“Training with her has been great. We did a solid block in Gran Canaria, and she’s been here for a few days. We push each other, though she’s on another level—she’s so talented that I can’t always keep up in interval training! But it’s motivating, and she brings a lot of experience, both physically and mentally.”
Getting Reel
Gee is in a fairly unique position in gravel racing as she is part of an established Road Team SD Worx Protime. “It started through Anna—she introduced me to Specialized, and I had good conversations with them in 2023. They gave me a chance to race gravel in Europe” recalls Gee. “Then Danny Stam, one of the DSs, suggested a collaboration with the road team because it’s good for sponsors. Since I was performing well and consistently, they thought it would be beneficial to have me fully on the WorldTour team. That way, it’s easier for sponsors to justify investing in gravel.“ Indeed, Gee will be seen taking on the World Tour riders on the road this year, which will only benefit her gravel racing. “I know I’m in a privileged position, and I’m grateful to SD Worx-Protime and Specialized for believing in me. I really feel part of the team now—training camps, team bonding, road races. The other riders follow my gravel results and might even try gravel races themselves“
With such a position comes the security of a regular paycheck and a technical support, making it easier for Gee to focus on training and racing. “Yeah, I’m on a yearly contract that’s paid in monthly installments. The team and Specialized also cover my travel expenses“ tells me Gee. “I still organize my own travel plans, but I send them to the team’s travel agents, and they book everything. Compared to riders like Danni Shrosbree or Sarah Sturm, who do everything themselves as privateers, my setup is much more structured. But being part of a team also means less freedom with sponsorships—you can’t just sign with any brand. There are pros and cons, but for me, this structure works well.“
Although Gee recognizes there are good and bad sides to her model, one thing she does not have to rely on, like privateers operating more traditionally, is the need to focus a lot of time on social media, which is becoming more and more important to make it as a pro. “Yeah, in gravel, social media plays a huge role—almost like ultra-running. Some riders don’t have top results, but they do well on social media and get sponsorships that way” muses Gee, “I struggle with that side of things. I’ve always thought, “Why would people care what I post?” But I’m realizing that people do enjoy hearing my perspective. After I did some commentary at the Gravel Earth Final, I got positive feedback, which surprised me. Still, I don’t see myself becoming a social media influencer. For me, results matter most.“
In an athletic environment, one would imagine that results matter more than anything, that how many likes you have would be secondary or viewed as a bonus even. Sadly, this is not the case and especially in the female gravel peloton. The rights of female athletes are very important to Gee, particularly the gap between women and their male counterparts.
“Yeah, it’s a huge gap. I have a lot of contact with ex WorldTour pros who have moved to gravel. They built their reputations on the road, so they don’t need race results as much—they already have name recognition“ reasons Gee. “For women, it’s different. To attract sponsors, we need results and a strong social media presence. Nathan Haas (Ex World Tour Pro now Pro Gravel Racer) once asked me why female gravel riders are so competitive, and I told him, Because we have to be.“
It is a tough situation to be in, and there is a long way to go to get parity, it is improving and despite the frustrations, Gee is more focused than ever “For me, though, I want to prove myself through results. I’m grateful for the support I get from SD Worx-Protime and Specialized, and I want to give back by winning races!“
Winning races is the focus for this year, she won't be just seeing how she can compete, she will be going for the top step and looking to turn that consistency into results. Traka and Unbound will be the main focus, but a full US schedule awaits with Leadville 100 on the cards. “Totally out of my comfort zone, but why not?“ chuckles Gee.
As we wrap up, Gee reflects on her plans for this season and the future, telling me “I trust things will fall into place. I’ve learned to stop worrying so much about what other people think and just let things happen.“
This perfectly sums up the journey she has gone through, her story arc if you will. From someone more concerned about the feelings of others, someone who did not take risks to the Gee of today. Self-confident, strong in her self belief and abilities, who loves others because now she truly loves herself.
Clearly and confidently she tells me, “It hasn’t been easy. I’ve had tough times, but I always come out stronger. No one can take that away from me.“
This year will be the year of a focused Gee, so her competitors better take note.
Comments