"It was a surprise": Tudor promotes Maikel Zijlaard from leadout to sprinter after a 2025 breakthough
Cycling
Around this time year ago, Tudor Pro Cycling would rub their hands at the perfect sprint train they had collected with Rick Pluimers into last kilometer, Maikel Zijlaard as launcher and Arvid de Kleijn as finisher. But reality didn't wait too long to show its nasty face. De Kleijn got injured already month into the season and the sprint train fell apart.
But it wasn't all in vain. Pluimers found his place in the Classics as a versatile sprinter with several high-profile top-5 finishes including a victory at Muscat Classic. And Zijlaard? The 26-year-old was promptly promoted from launcher to sprinter who even secured a Giro d'Italia podium finish. And since Tudor didn't immediately replace its second sprinter Alberto Dainese with a new recruit, a new possibility opens up before Zijlaard for 2026.
"Of course, a few things happened last year that allowed me to pursue my own opportunity," he admitted to In de Leiderstrui. "As far as I could, I took advantage of it. So the team said: we want to see what else Maikel can do."
This came a bit out of blue for the former track rider, but Zijlaard is motivated to make sure his team won't regret placing their trust into him. "A bit surprised, even though things were going really well and I knew the team was very pleased. But of course, I wasn't a clear-cut sprinter before last year, so it's a surprise that they're bringing that up."
He continues: "It would be great if everything fell into place in 2026 and went smoothly, but this is primarily a multi-year project we've embarked on." Tudor renewed with Zijlaard through 2029 last summer. "The team wants to train me as a sprinter. I'm curious to see what the first few years will be like, and hopefully, it will gradually improve."
Arvid de Kleijn still remains Tudor's number one choice for sprints
Yet to deserve a sprint train
Unlike the team's star sprinter which is De Kleijn, Zijlaard is yet to earn his own dedicated sprint train. "In the Tour Down Under I have Petr Kelemen and Marius Mayrhofer ahead of me. It also depends on the races I ride and the squad we have. I don't have a specific train," he explains.
Although the Tour Down Under this week will be a first big test, Zijlaard views the race as more of a learning process. "Maybe things won't go well in Australia at all, but my mindset now is that the whole team revolves around me. If I do well, the team does well, and so I have to utilize all those guys when it matters most. Because it truly is a team effort."
Knowing what it is like to be setting up sprints for others, the Dutchman is confident that he can benefit from a chemistry with his leadout men soon enough. "I'm the last man standing now, but I also know from the past few years that every person makes a difference. I think that my experience as a lead-out allows me to bring out the strengths of others," Zijlaard concludes.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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