Cyclist Mathieu van der Poel and 400 metre specialist Femke Bol were named sportsman and sportswoman of the year at the NOC*NSF Sportgala in Utrecht on Wednesday night.

Van der Poel took the title for the second time, beating racing driver Max Verstappen who had dominated Formula 1 this year. Van der Poel won the dramatic men’s UCI World Road Race title in Glasgow in August, in what he said maybe his “biggest victory” on the road. 

Femke Bol had a glittering season, with taking the world 400 metres title in Budapest in August as the high point. That victory came just days after she fell just before the finish of the 4-x400 mixed relay on the opening day of the games. 

The women’s 4×400 team of Bol, Lieke Klaver, Eveline Saalberg and Cathelijn Peeters won gold later in the games and picked up the title for team of the year on Wednesday night as well.