08/11/2023

"Jonas told me that there were some frustrations between the three" - Dylan van Baarle admits conflict within Jumbo-Visma at the Vuelta a Espana

Having completed his first campaign in the colours of Jumbo-Visma following his move from the INEOS Grenadiers, Dylan van Baarle has reflected on the highs and lows of the season and his growing friendship with Jonas Vingegaard.

The year was incredibly successful for Jumbo-Visma, the team creating history by winning all three of the year's Grand Tours. For van Baarle, the Dutchman was a key helper in both Vingegaard's Tour de France victory and Sepp Kuss' Vuelta a Espana triumph.

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The relationship between van Baarle and Vingegaard is developing well says the Dutch national champion. "We don't invite each other to the birthday parties yet, but I'm very good with Jonas. At the first training camp I was already in his room, so that made us closer," he explains at the Rouleur live event in London.

At the Vuelta however, the tensions within the team were clear for all to see. "Jonas told me that there were some frustrations between the three," says van Baarle on the internal arguments between Vingegaard, Kuss and Primoz Roglic. "And after the Tour I had an even better relationship with him than before, so I think it felt a little more natural for him to talk to me about it. Hopefully I can come to his birthday party next year."

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Comparing the differences between INEOS and Jumbo-Visma, van Baarle has noticed a few key things that set the two teams apart. "They are both looking for marginal gains , but the biggest difference is the nutrition and the nutrition coaches," he explains. "In this way I really took another step forward, especially in the big tours. After every ride your recovery feels better and I didn't have any bad days. That has to do with the nutrition we get both on and off the bike."

"I think we still can't realize what exactly it means. It was a big goal to win all three Grand Tours, but I don't think we'll really realize what it means until a few years from now," he concludes. "In any case, I was very proud of the guests and thought it was great to be on the podium with the rest of the team, since we also won the team classification."