PARIS (AP) — Multiple world champion Ellen van Dijk will retire from cycling at the end of the season, saying an increasing worry about dangerous crashes influenced her decision.
The 38-year-old from the Netherlands has won 70 races in all categories during a stellar career. This includes three individual and three team world time trial titles, one world title in the scratch discipline, five European titles and a solo win over 139 kilometers (86 miles) in the Tour of Flanders.
“I’m going to retire as a professional cyclist at the end of the season after 20 years. It’s been a big part of my life, a superlong career that I feel very thankful for,” the Lidl-Trek rider said in comments from her team. “In the last two years I had a lot of nasty crashes and this for sure makes me more scared on the bike in the peloton, and it makes me lose the real love of the road racing.”
With 41 victories in races against the clock, Van Dijk is among the greats in time trials. She is also the former women's world record holder for the hour, riding a fraction over 49 kilometres (about 30 miles) in 2022 — a record since beaten.
Van Dijk thanked Lidl-Trek for their commitment to women's cycling.
“It means a lot to me what this team did for women’s cycling,” she said. “Trek always believed in women's cycling and invested a lot in it and has played a big role in making women’s cycling what it is today.”
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FILE - Netherlands' Ellen Van Dijk competes during the women's individual time trial event, at the European Road Cycling Championships in Hasselt, Belgium, on Sept. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Havana, File)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Coach Steve Kerr spoke with Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga during the morning shootaround Thursday about the player's situation being out of the rotation for more than a month now with expectations he will be traded before the deadline next month.
“We talked this morning and that’s all private,” Kerr said. “I will keep coaching him, he’ll be part of the team, he’ll be here. It is what it is.”
Kerr discounted any issues between them as being reason Kuminga has reportedly requested a trade from the team after not being used in the last 14 games since Dec. 18 and 17 of 18 — though he has been listed as injured for nine games this season.
“Our relationship is fine,” Kerr said before Golden State's 126-113 win over the New York Knicks. “There's not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. It is what it is, difficult situation for everybody and part of this league, part of the job. We just keep moving forward.”
Kuminga has been training much of the time on his own, shooting on the Warriors’ practice floor out of the eyes of fans at Chase Center. He wears a black hood over his head on the end of the bench during games. Perhaps Kuminga and the Warriors weren't a great fit from Day 1 — not that it's his fault — and he might be eager to leave and start fresh elsewhere. If so, the Golden State brass might want to make sure he doesn't get hurt before trying to trade him.
Yet nobody has taken issue with his work ethic, at least not publicly. Kuminga, selected seventh overall in the 2021 draft, has been known to stay long after games shooting on the arena's main floor.
“It’s not a distraction at all. It’s a very unique situation but our job is just to keep playing, keep winning, it’ll resolve itself one way or the other,” Stephen Curry said.
The 23-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has appeared in just 18 games total with 13 starts, averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
On Sept. 30, he agreed to a two-year contract that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team were to exercise its option for 2026-27. Kuminga had had a $7.9 million qualifying offer in hand since June 29 but was also weighing other options and he missed media day.
He has long had the support and confidence of teammates — like Jimmy Butler saying he has been having Kuminga over and continuing to encourage him.
“We love JK in this locker room, that's not going to change,” Butler said postgame. “If he happens to not be in here, we'll still rock with JK. I speak for everybody. We love the guy. I wish him the best here, I wish him the best wherever. It doesn't change. We don't listen to the noise, I hope he don't listen to the noise he keep coming here with a smile doing what he's supposed to do and being the ultimate pro.”
Kuminga missed much of last season with a right ankle injury. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes over 47 games with 10 starts. He also scored 15.3 points per game over eight playoff games while shooting 48.4% from the floor and making 40% of his 3-point attempts. That included a career-best 30-point performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kerr said the uncertainty around Kuminga's future “won't be a distraction.”
“Jonathan's a great young guy, his teammates like him,” Kerr said. "He's handling himself well.”
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Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, middle, sits near the team bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) and Utah Jazz center Oscar Tshiebwe (34) swap jerseys after the Warriors defeat the Jazz during an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
