Defending champion Van Baarle not feeling good in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, but sees training partner Tratnik win

34th place, that was all defending champion Dylan van Baarle could achieve after 200 kilometers of racing in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The Dutch champion, however, could still celebrate on Saturday evening, as teammate Jan Tratnik managed to claim victory in the opener of the classics season. He shared his story afterwards with IDLProCycling.com.

First of all: how did Van Baarle himself fare, who alongside Tratnik was the only man from Visma | Lease a Bike on the wrong side of the split in the middle phase. "We did plan to start early, which worked out for everyone. Except me, I just had to let a gap form on the side. I couldn't keep up at that moment."

And so his race seemed half over. "From that moment on, we tried to get into a good situation, but I didn't see coming that Jan and I would eventually get back," he admits. "I didn't think about winning. I didn't have the feeling I had last year, but that can happen."

Meanwhile, teammates Matteo Jorgenson, Wout van Aert, and Christophe Laporte were already part of a leading group of six, which seemed to be contending for the victory for a long time. "I didn't catch everything, but through the radio, I heard that things had gone as we had hoped. That's the beauty of our team: if I'm not having a good day, or Tiesj Benoot, then other guys step up. Now it's Jan, and Wout finishes third."

Van Baarle sees training buddy Tratnik win

And so, the champagne can be uncorked. "We're happy for everyone, so definitely for Jan. It was his birthday yesterday, so this is a beautiful gift," said Van Baarle, who, like the Slovenian, lives in Monaco. "We've all seen it for weeks, that he was in superb condition. He's a very relaxed guy, who works professionally. I often train with him when we're at home, and he's a great guy to have around. And unbelievably strong, so versatile."