At 37 years old,
Bauke Mollema, who rides for
Lidl-Trek and
has an impressive record of
Tour de France and Vuelta stage wins, experienced a
significant shift in his career this year by not participating in a Grand Tour
for the first time in 14 years. Mollema’s absence from these marquee events,
however, has given him a chance to re-evaluate his approach and goals for the
coming seasons.
Reflecting on whether he aspires to complete a trio of stage
wins by adding a Giro d'Italia victory to his list, Mollema told
Wielerflits,
“Do I want to complete the trio with a stage win in the Giro d'Italia? I'm not
really thinking about that." He also shared mixed feelings about missing
the Grand Tours, admitting, "Did I miss it? Well, not really. I would have
really liked to ride the Tour. That was my goal, to make that selection. In the
end, that didn't work out. But I did have a good time in the summer. Did other
fun things, hardly cycled for a month. That worked out well in itself."
While Mollema remains open to returning to a Grand Tour, he
acknowledged the limitations brought by the depth of talent at
Lidl-Trek. “Of
course, I would like to ride a Grand Tour again. That also depends on whether
the team is up for it,” he shared, adding that he’s realistic about his
priorities.
“I don't really need that anymore. I think I'd better focus
on something else. I mean, the last two times in 2022 and 2023, things didn't
really go well in the Grand Tours either. In 2021, I did win that Tour stage,
of course. But our selection is now so good and so broad that two Grand Tours
is probably no longer an option anyway. I think I can be happy at Lidl-Trek if
I can ride one Grand Tour in the next two seasons.”
Reflecting on his 2024 season, Mollema highlighted the
success of his preparation for the World Championships, where he achieved an
ideal level of form. “What I take away from this year is that the preparation
for the World Championships went really perfectly. I will try to repeat that to
a large extent next year. I would like to be there again in Rwanda.” He sees
this preparation as beneficial for the Italian and Walloon classics, saying,
“If I am really good at the World Championships, like a few weeks ago, you are
normally also good for the Italian classics that follow. But I also did very
well in the Walloon classics. I hope that this will be a goal for me again.”
Looking ahead, Mollema also hinted at a possible return to
the Tour Down Under, sharing his enthusiasm for the event. “There is a good
chance that I will start in the Tour Down Under again. I enjoyed that this
year.”
As he enters the latter stages of his career, Mollema seems
content to take a selective approach, focusing on key goals while appreciating
the freedom to explore new avenues within cycling.