"Olav is already one of the best sprinters in the world" - But who is Team Visma | Lease a Bike's new leadout man?

Olav Kooij has made an impressive start to the season, even though illness forced him to withdraw from the UAE Tour. The 23-year-old sprinter showed his speed by winning both sprint stages at the Tour of Oman, continuing his rise as one of the top fast men in the peloton.

Kooij, who claimed his first Giro d'Italia stage win last season, has been part of Team Visma | Lease a Bike since his days in the development squad in 2020. Now firmly established in the WorldTour setup, he is looking to take another step forward this year.

But what about the men responsible for delivering Kooij to the finish line?

A key figure in Kooij’s sprint train is new signing Dan McLay, who recently spoke to Wielerflits about his move to the Dutch squad. McLay, who joined from Arkéa over the winter, brings experience and tactical awareness to the team’s lead-out setup. Born in New Zealand but raised in the UK, McLay is already proving to be a valuable addition.

Team manager Maarten Wynants explained the reasoning behind signing McLay.

"We did a bit of research to see who had done good lead-outs. There were also not twenty good lead-outs on the market, so we also had to see who was available. Our analyses showed that Dan came out on top. Of course, it is always a gamble somewhere, but we did have the impression that it could work with Olav."

Beyond his physical attributes, McLay’s experience and composure in high-pressure situations were key factors in Visma | Lease a Bike’s decision to bring him on board.

“He has an overview, experience and can also convey it well to the youngsters,” says Wynants. “He is very calm, you see that with Olav outside the races as well. That is already a match. Be careful, it is not necessarily that they both have to have those qualities, but maintaining that calm in the race when it gets really hectic is a crucial factor.”

For McLay, the move to Team Visma | Lease a Bike was an unexpected but welcome development.

“But still: not a hair on my head that thought I would end up in a team like Visma | Lease a Bike so late in my career. It was a very pleasant surprise for me that they came knocking. We hadn’t quite figured out what I was going to do and then this was the ideal opportunity that presented itself. Especially because they don’t see me as a sprinter, but really as a good lead out. That has grown in recent years with first Nacer Bouhanni and later Arnaud Démare.”

McLay believes his strength lies in positioning rather than sheer power, and he has quickly adapted to the demands of working alongside Kooij.

“I’m a rider who often finds the right way to get into an ideal position. That suits me better than blazing hard at the front in the last kilometre, as the ideal lead-outs of the past often did. But what I’ve also learned in recent years: you don’t do a good lead-out alone. It’s a matter of finding a good connection with your sprinter, but also with the guys in front of you, like Niklas Behrens is doing this season.”

The transition to one of the world’s top teams has come with its own pressures, but McLay remains focused on delivering results.

“Ultimately, every team wants to win and in that respect my role is very similar to what I am used to. There may be a bit more pressure in the team, but the goal remains the same. There are differences in the organizations, but when you pin on a number, it is working for the best result.”

When it comes to building a strong partnership, McLay and Kooij are already on the same page.

"Olav is a 'chill guy'," says McLay. "We're going to race together a lot and that's something to look forward to. He can win a lot. Olav is already one of the best sprinters in the world and the goal is to become the best and win the most together. It's not more complicated than that."

Wynants is pleased with how quickly the duo has clicked.

“A good start is half the battle,” says Wynants. “We have established that the collaboration is going very well. We knew that Dan had experience and he conveys that perfectly. Everything we agreed on at the meetings in December is being carried out.”

McLay agrees that early success has given them a strong foundation.

“If you do three sprints and it doesn’t work, you feel more and more pressure. But now they can’t take that start away from us. We can build on this.”

Whilst Visma are not usually seen as a ‘sprint’ team, they are certainly building a strong train for Kooij with the experience and ability of McLay.