Dylan van Baarle has quietly been one of the most impressive riders at the 2023 Tour de France. Predominantly seen as more of a Classics specialist, the Dutchman has been consistently impressing alongside Jonas Vingegaard in the mountains.
“I'm comfortable on the bike and everything comes pretty easy in terms of wattages. I haven't often felt that before," says van Baarle, admitting surprise at his own performances in conversation with Algemeen Dagblad. "That I have a good feeling from the start until well into the third week. I felt that coming a bit halfway through the Critérium du Dauphiné, at altitude training and then with the Dutch championship. I haven't often had that much confidence for a Tour start."
Jumbo-Visma have given a brilliant team performance throughout the Tour de France, helping Vingegaard to what will surely be his second straight Maillot Jaune. "I'm three kilos lighter than last year. I have never climbed better than now. I can go uphill for longer, the training sessions around the Tour were also more focused on that," van Baarle explains.
"When I sent out in front of the Joux Plane on the Col de la Ramaz in stage 14 and saw only fifteen men left, I thought: 'Wow, that's not very bad'," he continues. "Then I surprised myself. I already knew that I can climb really well on my good days, but I have never climbed so well for three weeks."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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