"I think he can develop a good connection with all the women" - Former Tour de France winner thinks new Dutch national coach is the right man

Laurens ten Dam announced on Thursday that he will become the national coach of the Dutch elite women's cycling team starting January 1, 2025. This news comes after a difficult year for the team, where championship results did not always meet expectations. Now the winner of the very first Tour de France Femmes, Annemiek van Vleuten, has shared her views on the appointment.

“Surprising. I expected it would be difficult to find someone who would dare to take on this challenge and actually want to do it,” van Vleuten told Dutch broadcaster NOS.

Van Vleuten expressed optimism about ten Dam’s qualities: “Laurens is easy going, energetic and positive. I think he can develop a good connection with all the women. And it’s good they’re starting with a clean slate. He has no history with any of the riders, he hasn’t worked with any of the teams before.”

Reflecting on the team dynamics, Van Vleuten noted, “For years, Marianne Vos was the undisputed team leader. The rest were happy just to be selected and contribute to the success. Now there are several real winners, and therefore different scenarios for each race. You have to play that game too, make use of the team’s broad strengths. That creates tension.”

“Riders who often win aren’t quick to give up their personal chances. In their own teams, they sometimes do it to help someone else, knowing they can expect the favour returned next time. In the national team, it works differently.

“You’re talking about being able to win a European or World Championship, when will it be your turn?” She questioned. “It could be a year, two years, or even longer. That’s a different situation. And that’s where Laurens’ role comes in. It will remain challenging regardless.”

Laurens ten Dam certainly has a wealth of experience, and from this it looks as if he has the backing of Annemiek van Vleuten. The question is, can he turn around the fortunes for the Dutch women?