With two sprints down at the first Grand Tour of his career at the 2024 Giro d'Italia, Team Visma | Lease a Bike's sprinting prodigy, Olav Kooij has made a solid start with placings of 6th and 4th. A first Grand Tour stage win still eludes him however.
On stage 5, it's likely to end in another bunch sprint, allowing the 22-year-old Dutchman a third chance to secure himself a win. “The lead-out of the team, with Christophe Laporte as the last man, certainly gives confidence," Kooij previews ahead of the stage to Eurosport. "Christophe knows perfectly how to position yourself. Today there is a new opportunity.”
In fact, the parcour of stage 5, might just be the bunch sprint that most perfectly suits a rider of Kooij's capabilities. “The fact that there is no climb in the final this time may mean that more riders will join the sprint. That will make it a bit more difficult," Kooij assesses however. "It is important to enter the city (Lucca, ed.) in a good position.”
Despite having suffered an early crash though, the early signs have been positive for Kooij. “Every day is different, especially with such a large sprint field. Things are getting better and better after my fall," he concludes. "The recovery is going as expected. I hope things go even better today.”
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