"I couldn't eat or drink for several days" - Dylan Teuns aims to be at best for classics despite illness hampering his winter preparation

Dylan Teuns believes he'll back at his best again in 2024. La Flèche Wallonne 2022 champion was only a shadow of his previous self since his move to Israel - Premier Tech later that year. That was due to health and mental compications which kept slowing the 31-year-old Belgian for a while now. But everything should be solved now and Teuns hopes to be ready to lead his team back to World Tour in next years.

"Where is that Teuns from 2022? I hope I find him again this year. It's definitely still there and it's up to me to show it. Last year I was hurt by physical and mental issues. They reinforced each other and it just wouldn't work," Teuns tells Het Nieuwsblad.

However during the winter holidays, Teuns suffered an esophageal infection. "Strange, but I couldn't eat or drink for several days. I got sick at training camp and went home again. Ultimately, I ended up in the hospital for a few days as an emergency. That was a bit of a shock. It turned out to be an accumulation of a cold, antibiotics to combat that infection and an incorrect response from my body. It meant that I wasn't allowed to train anymore for a while."

"I'm looking forward to being the leader in Strade Bianche. I probably won't be the only spearhead, but I'll take my chances. The team meeting showed that the team is confident of a good result. I believe in it too. Then follows the holy month with first the Ronde and then the whole host of hilly classics. I really want to be there."