Dylan van Baarle: "The Tour of Flanders, together with the World Championships, are the most important race I would ever want to win"

Dylan van Baarle has become a luxury domestique in Team Visma | Lease a Bike, however he recognizes his own quality, and heading into the 2024 season the Dutch national champion will aim for big goals in the spring and the summer.

"Riding in the Dutch champion jersey for a year is fantastic. Mathieu [van der Poel] was very well that day. But with the team we rode the perfect race. It became exhausting and then I emerged. I already felt good in the Dauphiné, so I had the feeling that it could be a nice day," van Baarle said in the Podcast in Koers, also commenting on his Vuelta a España success with Team Visma | Lease a Bike. "The fact that we become one, two and three is incredible. In the end it came down to us making the decision together."

Van Baarle will be joined by Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte, Tiesj Benoot and Matteo Jorgenson among others in the cobbled classics, a lineup that can do true damage. Although ultimately the team will be working towards collective success, the 31-year old obviously hopes to be winning himself and on the big stage. This year he won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, but then struggled with health issues throughout the spring. He was an important part of both Tour de France and Vuelta a España victories for the Dutch team however.

"The Tour of Flanders, together with the World Championships, are the most important race I would ever want to win. There is something special about that race. After a handful of top ten times, I will prepare myself optimally for it. And then we'll see," he concludes, having an eye in Zürich. Although making the selection is not easy, the Olympic Games in Paris will also be a race that will suit the veteran classics specialist.