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.