Why Poels chose Vinokourov over Bahrain after Giro and World Championship blow: "It does add up, of course"
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Follow us on GoogleFor years, we could portray him in a Team Sky jersey, and just when we had become a bit familiar with Bahrain Victorious's jersey, Wout Poels chose to make some changes. Alexandre Vinokourov lured the 37-year-old Dutchman to Astana Qazaqstan for various reasons. Poels talks about it to IDLProCycling.com.
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To say Poels has had an eventful year is an understatement. After winning a stage in the Tour de France in 2023, his big goal in 2024 was a stage victory in the Giro d'Italia. Then, he would have one in all three grand tours. Bahrain Victorious heard the request but pulled the plug at the last minute. No Giro for Poels, but the Tour ...
In the fall, a second blow on the calendar for Poels followed, who had already been looking forward to the World Championship in Zurich but was not chosen by the Dutch national coach. A transfer to Astana Qazaqstan these weeks cleared things up.
Read our Q&A below the photo!
Wout Poels on the World Championship, Astana and more
Has the disappointment of the World Championship subsided a bit? You were pretty heated about it your podcast...
"That has subsided by now, though. I watched the last eighty kilometers, and what Pogacar did there was impressive."
Had it been a World Championship for you in retrospect?
"I could have done well there, significantly to help the team. If you saw how quickly it was split open and what tactics were used, some gaps sometimes needed to be closed. But it is what it is, and in the end, we got an excellent winner. Everyone wishes Pogacar well, even though he has already won so much. He's an exceptional champion."
Did you contact the national coach about the decision regarding you?
"Well, he called me, and that's it. Maybe I can be there again next year in Rwanda."
In the end, how do you look back on your season?
"It's all very unfortunate in the end. I started very well, with Catalonia and the Tirreno, where I rode well. After that, I wasn't allowed to go to the Giro, but I still won a nice stage in Hungary. Finally, I went on the tour, where I might have hoped for a little more. However, it was a tough Tour, and in the end, I got a nice transfer, so now I'm enjoying cycling towards the end of the season."
Could you also have stayed with Bahrain Victorious?
"Yes, they made me another offer after the tour. But Astana was on my radar by then, and after five years, I thought it was time to make another change."
Did the Giro d'Italia, where you were eventually not allowed to start, play a part in that?
"That is a bit blunt, but it adds up. You ask yourself if you still want to change and if you still want to leave. Then you make a list of what you still want to do, and then tick off the pros and cons."
Astana's press release contained mostly official quotes, but what do you hope to find at Astana?
"They need points for the WorldTour ranking, of course, and I picked up quite a few points this year. Next year, you start all over again, so I just want to try to have good races and results. Maybe try again for the Giro, although we haven't discussed a program yet. That tour is still on my mind, though."
Everyone always has an opinion about Alexandre Vinokourov, but how was he talking to you?
"Well, I only spoke to him over the phone. Nothing special in itself, mind you."
Besides the Giro, what do you want to tick off the list, as you just said?
"I still want many things, but I don't know if they are realistic. I just really enjoy racing. The Tour of Hungary is a small race on paper, but it was very nice to win a stage there and make it to the podium. I don't mind competing in smaller races and going for results. I rode in the top ten in Catalonia almost daily and still like doing that."
Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026