"He told me I was in and it took a while for the news to sink in" - Daan Hoole on his surprising Olympic nomination

It was a surprise to many that next to Mathieu van der Poel and Dylan van Baarle, Lidl-Trek's all-rounder Daan Hoole is the third Dutchman selected for the Olympics. However, national coach Koos Moerenhout preferred the tall 25-year-old, because he won't hesitate to fully devote himself to his leaders.

Daan Hoole has just completed the Giro d'Italia where his team celebrated Jonathan Milan's three stages along with the points classification late into the Sunday night. Thus it doesn't come as surprise it took Hoole a while to connect the dots when Moerenhout's name appeared on his phone. "I actually had no idea what he wanted to call for," he admits to WielerFlits. "Normally when he calls over races, you often know that it is probably about the European Championship or World Championships. Now I didn't realize that."

It brightened up his difficult day, Hoole laughs again. "He told me I was in and it took a while for the news to sink in. That was beautiful. I have been really happy ever since! At the beginning of the year I filled out a form that put you on the longlist. Like so many riders, otherwise a selection would not have been possible anyway. Gradually I had some contact with Koos. I knew I had a chance. But I didn't necessarily expect to be there."

A timetrial specialist himself, Hoole can also hope for a start in the time trial a week earlier as neither Van Baarle nor Van der Poel are likely to ride it. "I am realistic, but I do aim for the highest possible result. I really want to work on that time trial, also because it is a very nice podium for myself to show myself in a very strong starting field. It would also be a dream to obtain an Olympic diploma (for the top 8). I have to ride a very good time and the things over which I have control, I have to make sure that I do them well. Then the result will come."