Van Baarle confirms form, happy to help devise a plan to beat Van der Poel and Pogačar

We have been keeping a close eye on Dylan van Baarle since his transfer from Visma | Lease a Bike to Soudal Quick-Step. The 33-year-old Dutchman went back to basics with a new coach, he rode a strong Opening Weekend, found freshness through a different programme, and remained positive even when results were lacking. Time to deliver in Paris-Roubaix, then — the race he won in 2022? IDL Pro Cycling's Bram van der Ploeg spoke to Van Baarle at the team presentation.

"Of course it's nice when you train and have good results to show for it. But ultimately I'm very happy with what I'm doing now, I'm happy with the training I'm doing and I hope the results will come soon."

"You might go into it with a slightly different feeling if, in the week between the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, you already have a top ten in the bag. But ultimately I've done the same as I would have done if I had got a result."

"In Dwars door Vlaanderen that was really the case. After the opening phase I was genuinely a lot better, but I was no longer at the front. I'm getting older and maybe a bit less explosive, so I need to take that into account in the race."

"Erm, no, I don't really feel that pressure. On Monday I wasn't particularly up for it, because you're absolutely knackered after the Tour of Flanders. But after that it started to come alive more and more. Then you do the recon and it is really special, to be back at the place where you did something really beautiful."

"I think above all you need to find a moment when Mathieu and Tadej have attacked each other. Hopefully I'm still close by then and I can choose my moment. That is the only way to beat those guys."

"Maybe they won't ride me out of the wheel, but if you're not in position, it will happen. I've done everything I can to be as good as possible here and then we'll see what it brings."