Wout Poels desperate for Grand Tour stage win prior to retirement but realises "it will be difficult with the Remco Evenepoel's and the Tadej Pogacar's of this world"

The experienced Wout Poels has seen and done a lot throughout his 12 years at World Tour level. One glaring omission from the Bahrain - Victorious rider's palmares however is a Grand Tour stage win, something he is desperate to claim before retirement.

"That is still very high on my list," the 35-year-old Dutchman tells In de Leiderstrui. "But I was also very close to the mountain jersey two years ago and that is still in the back of my mind. First hope that the period that is now coming up goes well and then we'll see. But that stage victory is indeed my biggest motivation at the moment."

With the penultimate season of his current Bahrain Victorious contract well underway, Poels most recently took to the start at Brabantse Pijl. A race one wouldn't necessarily associate with Poels. “I haven't ridden a one-day race in a long time. The last was the World Championship in Australia," he says, explaining his decision to ride the race where he would end up finishing 30th.

Poels's series of one-day races continue in the coming weeks with the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège although he realises his chances of success will be limited. "It's hard to say. It's always a matter of waiting to see how things go. But at least I'm looking forward to it. My last victory was a while ago," he laments. "It will be difficult with the Remco Evenepoel's and the Tadej Pogacar's of this world. With them there it is next level. But you have to look at it positively and approach it with a fresh mind."