Olav Kooij ready to test himself in Giro’s first true sprint finish: “Top five in the final corner for sure”
Cycling
Stage 4 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia is expected to offer the
first genuine bunch sprint of the race, and Olav Kooij will be among the key
contenders. The Dutch sprinter from Team Visma | Lease a Bike is eyeing a big
result, but knows competition will be fierce, with in-form riders like Mads
Pedersen and Kaden Groves also targeting the win.
Speaking to Cycling Pro Net before the stage, Kooij
acknowledged the unpredictability of a first sprint day in a Grand Tour. “Yeah,
I think first bunch sprints is always a bit more open. I think quite some
sprinters with goals here and yeah after today [we’ll] also know a bit more
about the rest of the competition. But yeah, we of course focus mostly on
ourselves.”
The early stages of this year’s Giro have been mixed in
profile, with climbs and technical terrain limiting pure sprint opportunities.
Kooij admitted it’s been difficult to get a full read on his rivals. “Yeah, I
think so. It’s quite hard to, or it’s different than the sprint of today and
the speed you need for a sprint like today.”
Fortunately, Kooij will have strong support from his Visma
teammates, including Wout van Aert, “Yeah, I think we have a good team also.
Yeah, with the rest of the guys I think we're really strong. So hopefully we
can do a good sprint preparation.”
Opportunities for sprinters are limited in this year’s
route, and Kooij knows he needs to capitalise when they come, “No, I think
they’re also quite spread out. So yeah, you know it when you see the course and
yeah we try to give it our best shot on those days we have a chance.”
As for the finale of today’s stage, positioning will be
everything. “Yeah, I think you want to be on those local laps. It’s always in a
city, it’s always quite fast. So it’s a case of being in a good position, not
spending too much energy and then entering that final 500 metres in good
position and then getting to launch the sprint.”
Asked what “good position” means in a finale like today’s,
Kooij was clear: “Top five for sure, I think.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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