# Mirjam Melchers

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 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.

## Palmares

Note: Beginning in 1997, the Union Cycliste Internationale awarded points to riders based on performances in races. Races were classified in categories. Although the system has evolved, major stage races are generally category 1 (strongest) and category 2. In the listings below, these categories, where known, are in parentheses. GC stands for General classification.

### Road
#### 1998

    1st Omloop der Groene Gemeente
    1st Stage 4 Holland Ladies Tour
    1st Vlijmen Criterium

#### 1999

    1st Stage 5 Holland Ladies Tour
    2nd Overall Greenery International
    National Championship
       2nd Road Race
       2nd Time Trial
    2nd Ronde van Drenthe
    3rd Flevotour

#### 2000

    1st Overall Holland Ladies Tour
       1st Stage 3
    1st Road Race, National Road Championships
    1st Harderwijk Road Race
    1st Haarsteeg Criterium
    1st Geldrop Criterium
    1st Stage 2 Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale
    2nd Overall Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin
    2nd Le Critérium International Féminin De Lachine
    3rd Overall UCI Road World Cup
    3rd Overall Thüringen-Rundfahrt der Frauen
    3rd GP de Plouay
    3rd Canberra Women's Classic
    3rd Embrach
    5th Road Race, UCI Road World Championships

#### 2001

    1st Overall Thüringen-Rundfahrt der Frauen
       1st Stages 1 & 2
    1st Westerbeek Criterium
    2nd Overall UCI Road World Cup
    2nd Primavera Rosa
    2nd Amstel Gold Race
    2nd GP de Plouay
    2nd Hamilton City Criterium
    2nd Canberra Women's Classic
    5th Road Race, UCI Road World Championships

#### 2002

    1st Primavera Rosa
    1st Oud-Vossemeer Criterium
    2nd Overall UCI Road World Cup
    2nd Overall Holland Ladies Tour
       1st Stage 7
    2nd Overall Tour de Snowy
       1st Stage 1
    2nd Amstel Gold Race
    2nd Rotterdam Airport Derny
    3rd Overall Thüringen-Rundfahrt der Frauen
       1st Prologue
    3rd Road Race, National Road Championships
    3rd GP Castilla y Leon
    3rd Canberra Women's Classic
    3rd Enkhuizen Criterium

#### 2003

    1st Overall Emakumeen Euskal Bira
    1st Overall RaboSter Zeeuwsche Eilanden
       1st Stage 1
    1st Overall Ronde van Drenthe
       1st Stage 2
    1st Ronde van het Ronostrand
    1st Oud-Gastel
    1st GP Castilla y Leon
    1st Oud-Vossemeer
    1st Haarsteeg
    1st GP Montferland
    1st Stage 3 (TTT) Holland Ladies Tour
    2nd Overall Vuelta Castilla y Leon
    2nd Road Race, UCI Road World Championships
    2nd Rotterdam Airport Derny
    2nd Lekkerkerk
    3rd Overall UCI Road World Cup
    3rd Time Trial, National Road Championships
    3rd GP de Plouay
    3rd Janet Memorial

#### 2004

    1st Time Trial, National Road Championships
    1st Overall Vuelta Castilla y Leon
       1st Stage 3
    1st Overall Holland Ladies Tour
       1st Stages 1b (TTT) & 2
    1st Holland Hills Classic
    1st Luk Challenge
    1st Roosendaal Criterium
    1st Oostvoorne Criterium
    2nd Overall Emakumeen Euskal Bira
    2nd Primavera Rosa
    2nd Ronde van Gelderland
    2nd GP de Plouay
    2nd Made Criterium
    3rd Overall Thüringen-Rundfahrt der Frauen
    3rd GP Castilla y Leon
    3rd Omloop van Borsele
    6th Road Race, Olympic Games
    9th Road Race, UCI Road World Championships

#### 2005

    1st Overall RaboSter Zeeuwsche Eilanden
       1st Stage 3
    1st Tour of Flanders Women
    1st Emakumeen Saria
    1st Stage 5 Giro d'Italia Femminile
    1st Lekkerkerk Criterium
    1st Boxmeer Criterium
    1st Roosendaal Criterium
    1st Oostvoorne Criterium
    2nd Luk Challenge
    3rd UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
    3rd Overall Emakumeen Euskal Bira
    3rd Overall Holland Ladies Tour
       1st Stage 4b (TTT)
    3rd Overall Memorial Michela Fanini
       1st Prologue
    3rd Overall UCI Road World Cup
    3rd Time Trial, National Road Championships
    3rd Coupe du Monde Cycliste Féminine de Montréal
    3rd Sparkassen Giro Bochum

#### 2006

    1st Tour of Flanders Women
    1st Stage 1 (TTT) Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin
    2nd Omloop Het Volk
    3rd Ronde van Gelderland
    3rd Oud-Vossemeer Criterium

#### 2007

    1st GP Gerrie Knetemann
    1st Maastricht, Omnium
    1st Profronde van Pijnacker
    1st Stage 4b Emakumeen Euskal Bira
    2nd Emakumeen Saria
    2nd Oostvoorne Criterium
    3rd Overall RaboSter Zeeuwsche Eilanden
    3rd Time Trial, National Road Championships
    3rd Chrono Champenois – Trophée Européen
    3rd Harderwijk Criterium

#### 2008

    National Road Championships
       1st Time Trial
       2nd Road Race
    1st Stage 2 (TTT) Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin
    1st Prologue Giro d'Italia Femminile
    3rd Berner Rundfahrt
    5th Chrono Champenois – Trophée Européen

#### 2009

    1st GP Groenendaal
    3rd Open de Suède Vårgårda TTT
    3rd Omloop van Stadshagen
    5th Overall Ladies Tour of Qatar
    7th Time Trial, National Road Championships
    7th Omloop Het Volk
    9th RaboSter Zeeuwsche Eilanden

#### 2010

    7th Omloop Het Volk
    9th Heuvelland Classic

### Cyclo-cross
#### 2003

    1st Amersfoort, Cyclo-cross
    1st Boxtel, Cyclo-cross
    1st Kerstveldrit om d'n Ouwe Brandtoren
    2nd Eindhoven, Cyclo-cross

#### 2004

    1st National Cyclo-cross Championships
    1st Woerden, Cyclo-cross
    1st Kerstveldrit om d'n Ouwe Brandtoren
    3rd Moergestel, Cyclo-cross
    4th Kersttrofee
    7th Trofeo Mamma & Papà Guerciotti

#### 2005

    1st GP Adri van der Poel
    1st Amersfoort, Cyclo-cross
    2nd Bakel, Cyclo-cross
    2nd Veldhoven, Cyclo-cross
    3rd National Cyclo-cross Championships
    3rd Vlaamse Druivencross
    3rd Azencross
    4th Nommay, Cyclo-cross
    5th Kersttrofee
    5th Hooglede, Cyclo-cross

#### 2006

    3rd GP Adri van der Poel
    4th UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
    4th Liévin, Cyclo-cross

#### 2007

    1st Amersfoort, Cyclo-cross
    2nd Gieten, Cyclo-cross
    2nd Huijbergen, Cyclo-cross
    2nd Azencross
    3rd Eerde, Cyclo-cross
    7th Kersttrofee
    10th Duinencross

#### 2008

    1st National Cyclo-cross Championships
    1st Amersfoort, Cyclo-cross
    6th UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
    7th GP Adri van der Poel

#### 2009

    2nd National Cyclo-cross Championships
    8th UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships