"Mick’s on fire, I’m proud of him," says Tim van Dijke, who keeps grinding toward his goals while brother prepares for Tour

Tim and Mick van Dijke both signed three-year contracts with Red Bull in 2024, which will provide the two with more opportunities to pursue their personal objectives. Tim impressed in the spring with wins in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Tirreno-Adriatico, and the E3 Saxo Classic, while Mick was on form in Paris-Nice (briefly wearing the white youth jersey), Paris-Roubaix, and most recently the Critérium du Dauphiné. This earned Mick a selection for the Tour, which will also be his first Grand Tour.

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"No, I actually thought I had completed one of my best time trials ever. I felt very strong and stable and was able to give it my all. I was pleased with that. On the bike, I felt like I could ride above my expectations. That was a good sign."

"Yes, then you think for a moment: Damn, yes."

"I'm riding the National Championship, and then I'm going to rest for a while before going to Livigno to train at altitude for the second part of this season. What comes after that in terms of the program is still a surprise."

"No, no, no, that was never on the schedule."

“No, not really. I'm not really thinking about the Tour de France in my career yet. The Dutch National Time Trial Championship was a nice goal, as it allowed me to see how I would perform, and also because I had been working all year on resolving a problem with my body that had been bothering me on the time trial bike. I didn't have any problems with that, so things are going in the right direction. I'm very satisfied.”

"In recent weeks, I've personally felt really good in races and set records. Those were signs that I'm still making progress during the season. That's why those smaller races are so great because you don't come up against world stars there."

"Yes, I really hope so. I have to make sure I'm in good shape; that's all I can do."

"It is different, yes. I really enjoy racing with my twin brother and with many other teammates. But Mick and I both ultimately have the goal of going for the highest possible, and whether that's with or without my brother doesn't matter, of course."

"Yes, Mick is on fire. He's been training at altitude in Livigno and is doing really well. I'm proud of him. He showed some good things in Paris-Nice and the Dauphiné, so I hope he can keep it up."

“I take a few days off, which is sometimes necessary. After that, I can push myself to the limit again in Livigno, haha!”

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