Milano-Sanremo and Giro d'Italia - Olav Kooij still not racing Tour de France in 2025 but dreams of big victories in Italy
Cycling
Olav Kooij is a brilliant sprinter and this season he really battled to become one of the very best. Victories at the Giro d'Italia, Paris-Nice, UAE Tour and BEMER Cyclassics, alongside a second place at the European Championships are just some of the Dutchman's successes this past year. In 2025, he aims for a similar schedule.
With Team Visma | Lease a Bike putting their efforts into trying to win the Tour de France, it doesn't really come as a surprise, but it is now known via Wielerflits that the 23-year old will not be racing the French Grand Tour in what is the final year of his contract. His goals remain largely the same as this year with little changes, except for the start of his season which will now come much later. Kooij should start his season at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne.
From there on he will travel to Italy where he will race Tirreno-Adriatico in search of stage wins but also for his best form into Milano-Sanremo. The Visma rider should be the leader in the first monument of the season as Wout van Aert will be absent, and he was 14th this year - second in the group that followed the winning the group.
Kooij will be in the Belgian spring classics but only race those well suited to the sprinters, being the Classic Brugge - De Panne and then Gent Wevelgem where he was sixth last year. Then, as was also the case previously, he will train and prepare for the Giro d'Italia where he will be a contender to take stage wins and also the points classification - with the support of Wout van Aert as a leadout man with certainty, to execute the plan that had been planned for 2024 but the Belgian's injuries prevented him from doing so.
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- I reported this in March of 2024. There was a bogus Facebook ad.davbott08-01-2025
- Does that mean that the Rapho jersey that I just purchased is a fake?
santiagobenites07-01-2025 - Utter rubish, if you think he peaks over 12 times trains, races, rests in 1 year you are living in cuckoo land.Senna196007-01-2025
- All theory, in practice much can happen, Tao won a Giro.Mistermaumau07-01-2025
- Same thing with ASSOS there was a fraudulent site in US, so I contacted ASSOS it’s down now. I don’t like counterfeiters or they bunk products. Call me old fashioned, it’s called honest.JtotheB07-01-2025
- Good on him for saying so; there's more to pro cycling than the Tour. The XCO World title is one still missing, so why not target that? However, Crans-Montana is really technical, and he will need plenty of time training and racing back on the MTB if he's going to go close. We know what happens with poor prep - crashes. This isn't CX, where you can turn up and win - the top MTB riders have got skills and MTB isn't just about watts......wipperman9507-01-2025
- Referring to his past few years he tried or had to be in top shape 10 out of 12 months, with some pretty annoying injuries, how many others manage(d) that? You have a right to be greedy but he’s not racing for you so is there much point in asking expecting hoping, it’s like writing to a potential doper saying please don’t.Jumpyjohn07-01-2025
- he can do what he wants, and if he can state his feelings, so can I. and my feeling is, it is fun to see the best riders in the biggest race. there are always stages to go after. and racing is more fun with an MVDP to cheer for. and to the point of the other guy, he raced 7 races prior. he will do 11 or so cross races. yes he races to win, but as a fan I would really love to see him in the race. I'm being greedy admittedly. to the point of vappaxbipmv, he isn't exactly racing his legs off with the races he has been doing.mij07-01-2025
- Well not his last year, but my argument is he can't he win the Tour. Remember this thread during the upcoming Tour, btw, I do admire Primoz.awp07-01-2025
- He did a convincing display at Ancares doing peak numbers even without optimal preparation in a team that is weaker in grand tours. Sure he's getting older but the narrative that he's in his last year is ridiculous.alsene07-01-2025