Bauke Mollema
A cunning and resilient Dutch climber, he specialized in seizing victory from the breakaway in cycling's hardest one-day races.
Born 1986 (age 40)·Dutch road racing cyclist·Birthday: November 26·Millennials
Biography
Bauke Mollema has long been the quiet assassin of the professional peloton, a rider whose poker face and relentless engine hide a razor-sharp racing instinct. While he consistently challenged in Grand Tour top tens, his true artistry emerged on the punishing slopes of the Classics. Mollema mastered the art of the long-range attack, often striking out solo with dozens of kilometers to go and daring the world's best to chase. This bold strategy delivered the crowning moments of his career: a dramatic win at the 2016 Clásica de San Sebastián and, even more spectacularly, a 40-kilometer solo raid to conquer Il Lombardia in 2019. That Lombardia victory, one of cycling's five revered 'Monuments,' cemented his legacy as a rider of extraordinary grit and tactical bravery, proving that the biggest wins often go to those willing to risk everything alone.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Bauke was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bauke Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Bauke's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won Il Lombardia in 2019 with a daring solo attack on the final climb of the Civiglio.
- Victorious at the Clásica de San Sebastián in 2016 after a late breakaway.
- Achieved stage wins in all three Grand Tours: the Vuelta a España (2013), Tour de France (2017 and 2021).
- Finished 6th overall in the 2013 Tour de France, leading his team after their designated leader withdrew.
Did You Know?
His first name, Bauke, is Frisian, reflecting his roots in the northern Netherlands province of Friesland.
Before focusing on cycling, he was a competitive speed skater in his youth.
He is known for his extremely calm and stoic demeanor during races, rarely showing emotion until after the finish line.
“I always like to attack from far out. That's my characteristic.”
