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 Jersey orange.svg Overall Holland Ladies Tour
 * 1st Stage 3
 * 1st MaillotHolanda.PNG 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 Jersey yellow.svg 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 Jersey white.svg Overall Emakumeen Euskal Bira
 * 1st Jersey yellow.svg Overall RaboSter Zeeuwsche Eilanden
 * 1st Stage 1
 * 1st Jersey orange.svg 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 MaillotHolanda.PNG Time Trial, National Road Championships
 * 1st Jersey red.svg Overall Vuelta Castilla y Leon
 * 1st Stage 3
 * 1st Jersey orange.svg 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 Jersey yellow.svg 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 MaillotHolanda.PNG 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 MaillotHolanda.PNG 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 MaillotHolanda.PNG 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