Dylan van Baarle crowned Dutch cyclist of the year - "I would not have dared to dream that it would turn out like this"

The competition was tough, but Dylan van Baarle has been crowned male Dutch rider of the year in the recent awards, following his very impressive spring campaign which was highlighted by a victory at Paris-Roubaix.

“It was an incredible spring. Of course you work hard all winter for this, but I would not have dared to dream that it would turn out like this," van Baarle told the media. "I was very happy with a second place in the Tour of Flanders. The fact that I hit a solo like that two weeks later in Paris-Roubaix was of course completely beautiful.”

After an already strong 2021 season, the Dutchman was one of the keys for INEOS Grenadiers' cobbled classics campaign. He showed good form by riding into eighth place at the E3 Saxo Bank Classic, and then rode to second at the Tour des Flandres, behind only compatriot Mathieu van der Poel.

He started Paris-Roubaix as a main favourite, and his dream was to come true in the cobbles of Northern Frrance: “I really started to realize it when they [team car] came to ride next to me. At that moment I got goosebumps. Servais [Kaven, ed.] told me to enjoy it as much as possible, and I think I did.”

He rode as a domestique for Geraint Thomas and Carlos Rodríguez at the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana. However it was the victory in Roubaix that did it for the 30-year old, who has had the season of his life. Despite that, he's moving to Jumbo-Visma who was already thought of to make the strongest cobbled classics team, where he will team up with Wout van Aert.

“I think that with Tiesj Benoot and Christophe Laporte we also have four very strong men, who can all win classics. We have to play to the strength of the team. I see no problem with that," van Baarle concluded.