🚨 Official selection alert 🚨 The following riders are selected by @teambelgium for the @Paris2024 Olympic Games 🇫🇷 in Men's Road Cycling, MTB and BMX Racing | bit.ly/4eQpQ4n #PedalToParis #Paris2024 #TeamBelgium
"The fact that the peloton is so small makes it even more special" - Dylan van Baarle enjoys hard to control chaos of Olympic road race
CyclingFriday, 26 July 2024 at 14:29
On August 3rd, the men's peloton will embark on a fight for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the road race. Whilst some have been critical of the setup for the Olympic road race, Netherlands' Dylan van Baarle believes the extra chaos actually adds to the event.
"It's getting bigger and bigger. The fact that the peloton is so small makes it even more special that you can participate. I'm looking forward to experiencing a Games that are not dominated by Covid," the 32-year-old of Team Visma | Lease a Bike says in conversation with compatriot and fellow Olympic hopeful Daan Hoole on the In Koers podcast.
Having formerly competed at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, this time around, Van Baarle is likely to be one of Mathieu van der Poel's key domestiques for the road race and even perhaps, a viable plan B option should things go wrong for the world champion.
"I feel good in training. I've been at altitude for a long time and I've taken good care of myself. I expect a lot from it," Van Baarle previews optimistically. "In the sprint, I certainly shouldn't do it. We still have to discuss it with the team. I hope for a good day of course and I hope to be able to play a role in the final. That I can sit there with Mathieu and that we can play our cards."
Similarly to his team leader, Van Baarle also sees the Belgian duo of Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert as the biggest threats, although Van Baarle is well aware of other potential challengers. "The Belgians have a strong block. The Danes too, although we have to wait and see how Mads Pedersen has recovered," Van Baarle concludes. "Then you still have Christophe Laporte and Julian Alaphlippe with the French. Then I'm still missing a few men, but you'll mainly have to look at the classic guys."
Read also
claps 0visitors 1208
Just in
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Nov 05, 13:04
0
Popular news
Latest comments
- Oh Lordspock12319-12-2024
- Interesting suggestion, fo you think testing Tadej’s (or Bolts’ or so many others’) parents would have given us a preview of his potential then or what criteria do you have to pick parents with?Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- Even amateur teams suffer this sort. But this is also largely due to the precarious sponsorship, in very few sports do you find kit with so many sponsors having to be integrated and changing so regularly.Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- I think it’s pretty obvious what was responsible for destroying interest that used to be there.Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- This has been stated repeatedly, MVDP for CX, road and if it already counts, gravel. Lavreysen for track. I expect as a cycling fan you’ve heard of them?Mistermaumau19-12-2024
- The same thing was said when Tadej announced that he would ride the Giro: "he goes to Il Giro because he knows he can't win the Tour". Always negative speculations. Maybe Primoz, near to the final of his career, simply wants to try this experience.
maria2024202419-12-2024 - If Valentino Rossi could never win during his period of dominance, and massive personality, then Pogacar not winning isn't a massive surprise. Cycling isn't a Premier League global sport......only one event reaches the mainstream every year - and that's not good enough.wipperman9519-12-2024
- I don't think it's only a British thing; the biggest talents aren't usually drawn to CX. Where are all the top Italian, French, Spanish, Slovenian CX riders? Apart from Belgium, and Netherlands, it's not really a target for up and coming cyclists - as there's no career unless you move to Belgium. Other countries can't support a proper professional series, like an international sport should be able to do. Lets not forget, since 2016, British riders have won plenty of World championships; with Pidcock, Richards, Tulett & Backstedt all winning more than one..... And, there was a time when Belgium didn't rule the roost in CX; that was Switzerland, but since the advent of XC MTB, their top off-road talents race there instead of CX - and the 2nd raters not good enough for XC MTB, race CX.wipperman9519-12-2024
- "25-34 are only 13% of USA Cyclings membership" Wow. I own a bike shop, and that number comports both with what I see in the business as well as on the road and trails, but it's somehow hugely demoralizing to see it quantified. Thirteen percent?verve82519-12-2024
- What super dutch talent are we talking about?awp18-12-2024