He added the Olympic title to his 25km world crown when he won a thrilling sprint finish in the inaugural 10km men's race after a stroke-for-stroke tussle which lasted nearly two hours.
Email this page
"That makes it extra special," Van der Weijden said when asked about his recovery from cancer which he said had helped prepare him for Thursday's surge for victory.
"It proves that even after such an illness you can win gold."
With the end in sight, Van der Weijden pulled out from the three-way dogfight and charged past Briton David Davies to win in one hour 51 minutes 51 seconds.
Davies, who led for most of the race, had streaked two body lengths clear in the last 400 metres and looked certain to win but he had no answer to the 27-year-old Dutchman's stunning sprint finish.
Supermoms turn it on at the Olympics
Advertisement
