Dylan van Baarle has had two seasons to overlook since his victory in Paris-Roubaix in 2022 however has returned to the Tour Down Under for the third time trying to begin a a lot better yr with Visma-Lease a Bike.
“I wish to come out of this race higher than I got here in, and to get some race rhythm once more as a result of final yr I did not actually have many race alternatives,” Van Baarle advised Cyclingnews forward of the opening stage.
“It’s a brand new yr, so we’re gonna go together with full motivation to make it an excellent yr once more.”
To keep at bay the crash demons, he was carrying what he hoped can be a fortunate appeal bracelet (his accomplice, Olympic champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has an identical one). Unfortunately, the appeal won’t work so properly as Van Baarle crashed through the opening stage in Gumeracha, however didn’t look like significantly injured.
Van Baarle’s earlier troubles began with a crash through the E3 Saxo Classic in 2023 that knocked him out of the Tour of Flanders. Then, throughout his Paris-Roubaix title defence, he broke bones in his hand and shoulder and needed to have cuts to his face glued again collectively.
Then in 2024, his incidents might have been overshadowed by the horrible wrecks of Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard, however an sickness and two crashes left him sitting out many of the season. He solely raced for 20 days in 2024.
During the Critérium du Dauphine, Van Baarle was concerned in an enormous crash on slick, moist roads, breaking his collarbone. He returned in time to signify his nation on the Paris Olympics, however then, on stage 2 of the Vuelta a España, misfortune struck once more. A slow-speed crash in a feed zone left him with two fractures to his pubic bone.
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“I feel the final crash was fairly a tricky one to swallow, particularly the way it occurred, after which the entire rehab once more afterwards. That was fairly powerful,” Van Baarle mentioned.
“I’ve had fairly some setbacks final yr, however I overcame them, and we go together with full motivation once more to the brand new season.”
Van Baarle’s dangerous luck coincided with a swap from Ineos to Visma-Lease a Bike that got here after his Paris-Roubaix win and second place within the Tour of Flanders. Without accidents, he’s anticipated to be a twin chief with Van Aert within the Classics.
Visma-Lease a Bike have begun to provide riders specialised coaching to enhance their consideration throughout races along with different measures to attempt to reverse the riders’ misfortunes.
“We had some testing within the December camp, they usually’re gonna have a look at the outcomes and see which guys can enhance on what facet. It’s fairly attention-grabbing. We are attempting to restrict the crashes as a lot as attainable, which is difficult to do in our sport.
“But, for those who focus extra on your self, then it would additionally assist to stop crashes, in fact. And perhaps different groups will even begin to do it and can make the peloton a bit safer.”
Safety has been a significant subject within the peloton, and along with guidelines comparable to the brand new yellow card system, the UCI is contemplating limiting gears to assist deliver the speeds down within the peloton.
Van Baarle thinks the gear restrictions would possibly work.
“Some guys are driving with the 58 or 60 [tooth chainrings] within the bunch. That’s fairly large, however primarily [we need] to have as secure as attainable programs, as a result of typically you come on the circuit or come by way of cities with obstacles, and it feels extra like Mario Kart than racing. So that is the first step, to have a secure course after which we are able to take a look to what we can also do as riders.
“The entire degree of the bunch is getting larger and better, and it is solely good for the game, however now it is as much as us to regulate to that.”