Sander SteinsSilke Smulders was born on April 1, 2001, in Loon op Zand, a small town in the Netherlands, just north of Tilburg. She began cycling at the age of twelve and signed her first professional contract with Lotto Soudal Ladies in 2021.
In her first year as a pro, she made her mark with a 5th place in the youth classification of the Giro d’Italia Women and a 3rd place in the youth classification of the Simac Ladies Tour. Since 2022, Smulders has been riding for the Australian team Liv Racing Xstra, which has since merged into Liv AlUla Jayco. She is contracted with them until 2026.
Silke Smulders first professional win
2024 was an outstanding year for Smulders. She delivered a solid performance in the Vuelta España Femenina, finishing 21st overall, and also celebrated her first professional win. She won the opening stage of the Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia, taking the leader’s jersey as well.
Smulders finished that race in an impressive 2nd place, just 15 seconds behind Mavi García, the overall winner. In the Giro d’Italia Women, she narrowly missed the top 10, finishing 13th. She also placed 21st in the overall classification at the Tour de France Femmes.
Career highlights
| Year | Match | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia, 1st Stage | 1 |
| 2024 | Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia, GC | 2 |
Racing style
Through these Grand Tours, she demonstrated her ability to climb alongside the second-tier climbers and her competency in time trials – key skills needed to become a successful stage racer. She nearly closed out the season with a second win, but the peloton caught her just 50 meters from the finish in Stage 6 of the Simac Ladies Tour.
Her goal for 2025 is to see how far she can go in stage races. Her focus is on improving her time trialing and working on long climbs during her preparations.
