Visma-Lease a Bike had been the dominant males’s Grand Tour crew in 2023 as they took a historic triple and gained the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España with three completely different riders. But on the first three-week race of 2024, they’ll be taking an unfamiliar method and chasing stage wins with no GC favorite.
They misplaced final 12 months’s Giro winner Primož Roglič to Bora-Hansgrohe and neither Sepp Kuss nor Jonas Vingegaard will take the beginning in Turin on Saturday.
They could have younger Cian Uijtdebroeks as their GC hope after he took eighth on his Grand Tour debut finally 12 months’s Vuelta, however he’s nonetheless but to develop right into a rider able to difficult confirmed three-week winners like Tadej Pogačar and Geraint Thomas.
“We are approaching this Giro in a different way than in earlier years”, mentioned sports activities director Marc Reef in a crew assertion. “This time, we do not have to struggle for each metre each day with the GC in thoughts. It’s completely different from the final Grand Tours we did. Then we all the time began with the GC as our essential purpose.
“Our essential goal is to win phases. We need to obtain that primarily within the flat sprints with Olav [Kooij]. We may even not conceal within the phases the place a breakaway has probability of succeeding.
“We shall be glad if we win multiple stage.”
Sprinter Olav Kooij would be the centrepiece of their ambitions on the upcoming Giro d’Italia as he makes his Grand Tour debut and eyes the six or seven flat finishes en route from Turin right down to Rome.
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Kooij, 22, has already established himself as one of many prime sprinters on the planet and has 4 wins this season from the Clasica de Almeria, UAE Tour and Paris-Nice.
He was meant to take the beginning with a robust lead-out that includes Wout van Aert, however the Belgian’s high-speed crash and damaged bones dominated him out of creating his first look on the corsa rosa.
Instead, Kooij could have the highest substitute Christophe Laporte working because the final man within the lead out trian. The Frenchman is a quick finisher in his personal proper and has mixed effectively with Kooij previously, greatest proven on the 2022 Tour of Denmark the place his lead out on the third stage was so sturdy that the pair completed one-two on the day.
“It is after all extremely irritating that he [Van Aert] can’t be there. Both for him, for me and the crew. We had been wanting ahead to this second and had made a purpose out of this Giro. But it’s what it’s,” mentioned Kooij.
“Christophe [Laporte] is an skilled rider who is aware of what to do. Someone you’ll be able to completely depend on. We have already achieved nice outcomes collectively.”
Visma have additionally misplaced mountain assist for Uijtdebroeks with each Wilco Kelderman and former Giro King of the Mountains winner Koen Bouwman needing to get replaced.
“Cian can take his probability on the GC. The essential factor is to study. We will see what he can do within the coming weeks. We are assured,” mentioned Reef.
Tim van Dijke made up the ultimate spot on the eighth sport on the roster after a powerful Classics marketing campaign. He’ll make up a part of the dash prepare with Laporte and Edoardo Affini, whereas the Frenchman may even be allowed some freedom after sickness and dangerous luck ruined his Spring Classics.
They could have their work reduce out if they’re to place the quick Dutchman in place to problem the likes of Tim Merlier, Jonathan Milan, Fabio Jakobsen and Caleb Ewan, who make up a part of one of many strongest Grand Tour dash fields lately.
“Year after 12 months, I can take massive steps right here in all facets of the game. I knew this 12 months’s Giro can be my first grand tour and I’m wanting ahead to it immensely,” mentioned Kooij.
“It is a really good and powerful discipline of members. It will not be straightforward, however I consider I can beat them.”