Rien Schuurhuis

Dutch-born Vatican cyclist

Rien John Schuurhuis
Personal information
Nickname	The Pope's Cyclist^[1]
Born	(1982-08-12) 12 August 1982 (age 41) Groningen, Netherlands
Team information
Current team	Vatican Cycling
Discipline	Road cycling
Role	Rider
Rider type	Sprinter
Amateur team
2021–	Vatican Cycling

Professional teams
2015–2016	Oliver's Real Food Racing
2016	Blank Inc Cycling Team
2017–2018	Oliver's Real Food Racing

Rien John Schuurhuis (born 12 August 1982) is a Dutch-born Vatican road cyclist and industrial design engineer who competed for the Vatican City in the 2022 and 2023 UCI Road World Championships. He was the first cyclist and athlete who represented the Vatican City as a regular scoring competitor.^[2]

Career

Schuurhuis started competing internationally for teams such as Oliver's Real Food Racing and Blank Inc Cycling Team under a Dutch sporting nationality.

In 2020 when he moved to Rome, he was "immediately drawn to the values and community spirit of Athletica Vaticana," and in 2021 he started competing for the Vatican City.^[3]

Major results

2015

N/A Tour de Perth

18th Melbourne-Warrnambool

33th Tour of Southland

2016

45th New Zealand Cycle Classic

65th Tour de Ijen

75th Tour de Flores

DNF Road race, Dutch National Road Race Championships

N/A Tour of the Great South Coast

N/A Tour of Gippsland

46th Jelajah Malaysia

2017

5th Tour of the Great South Coast

N/A Tour of the King Valley

2018

DNF Herald Sun Tour

DNF Road race, Dutch National Road Race Championships

N/A Tour Tahiti Nui

2nd Stage 1

N/A Tour of New Caledonia

2019

N/A Tour Tahiti Nui

1st Stage 2 and Stage 4

22nd Tour of New Caledonia

3rd Stage 6

2021: 40th Time trial, Dutch National Road Race Championships
2022: 11th Limburg Cycling Time Trial; DNF Road race, World Championships
2023: DNF Road race, World Championships

Personal life

Schuurhuis was introduced to cycling at a young age saying he "could ride a bike before I could walk," due to the Cycling culture of the Netherlands.^[2]

Schuurhuis holds Dutch citizenship due to his birth, Australian citizenship as his wife Chiara Porro is Australian, and Vatican citizenship since he resides there and as his wife is the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See.^[2]^[4] He moved to Rome in 2020.^[3] He has two children, Thomas and George.^[5]

References

^ Ortega, Adrián (19 September 2022). "Who is Rien Schuurhuis, the "Pope's cyclist?"". Diario AS. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Vatican rider to make history at world road cycling championships". NBC Sports. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b "A 40-Year-Old Representing Vatican City At The World Championship – This Is Rien Schuurhuis' Story". Cycling Up To Date. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ Trapani, Andrea (21 September 2022). "Come pedala il Vaticano ai Mondiali di ciclismo" (in Italian). Il Foglio. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ Kenny, Michael (20 September 2020). "New Ambassador speaks on her hopes for the role". The Catholic Weekly. Retrieved 31 August 2023.