Kruijswijk helped Simon Yates through difficult winter, who now dreams of Giro stunt with Visma | Lease a Bike

"I think it was a significant transition for Simon. He indicated in the first races that he was still finding his feet. I think that the way we ride, how we approach races as a team, and the entire team structure in terms of training and nutrition were slightly different at Jayco-AlUla. He probably had a bit more freedom there and could make his own choices, whereas here, it's more structured, and it took some getting used to."

"I've raced with him a lot and spent three weeks at altitude with him, and he seemed very motivated. He's a very easy-going guy who knows what he's doing. He doesn't let himself get carried away, which we saw in the first week of the Giro, for example. He was very calm and knew it would all happen in the last week. Anything is possible then, so you have to push through and encounter as few obstacles as possible. He's very good at that."

"Mainly by explaining how things work, which perhaps comes across differently than when the trainers or sports directors deliver the same message. Especially in Tenerife, where we trained for three weeks, we gave him a good idea of how the team works and what it all means. From the outside, there are rumors that it's all very strict, but that's more of a guideline that he has to find his way around, and that has to fit his personality. He's slowly but surely starting to feel at home."

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"We wanted to get Simon through the first part of the Giro as well as possible, and we weren't going to look at where he would be until the second rest day. So far, he's doing very well and rolling through it nicely. We are in control as a team, and now that we have finished the second week with him, we can maybe start making plans to get him on the podium in Rome in the third week."

"He can undoubtedly compete with the very best. The level is very high again, but without Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar here, the race will be very exciting. They are on a different level, so we can make it very exciting in the final week. Simon can also be strong in that final week, and we are sticking to that."

"I think all three of us are at a good level, especially on the climbs. Hopefully, we can support Simon when it really matters and be part of his push in the GC."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])