Joining UAE Team Emirates has felt like a long time coming. The journey sort of started two years ago when the team started following me on the back of a strong season in the continental ranks. I was fit and performing really well, but the problem was that I had just signed for another team! That put the brakes on my transfer to UAE Team Emirates for another year, but boy am I glad to be here now.
Being the only rider in the team from the Netherlands, I remember feeling really nervous when I joined. The nerves were swiftly put to bed during the pre-season training camp in Spain, as it allowed the new riders to become familiar with the entire group and coaching staff.
Even after the first team meeting, I remember being surprised that most of the guys had heard of me. They were all extremely down to earth, interested in my journey, and determined to perform well together in the coming weeks and months.
The standard of the training camp was incredibly high. I was used to being one of the best climbers in my previous teams, but I felt I had to push myself to new levels just to compete with our guys.
The cobbled classics have been a real highlight of the season thus far, both personally and for the team. I performed well in Paris-Roubaix, or ‘The Hell of the North’ as it is refereed to.
It certainly lived up to that description. It was a really tough race. I know my capabilities as a rider and have confidence in my abilities, so to finish 13th place and be up there with the big riders was awesome. The atmosphere was amazing and to finish in the velodrome is a once in a lifetime experience I will cherish forever.
On to the Tour of Flanders, which produced one of the most spectacular performances in recent memory from Tadej Pogacar. It was something I will never forget.
The goal was clear: Put Tadej in a position to win the race. The togetherness and determination from the group to support him really motivated us to give our absolute maximum, and ultimately Tadej did something we may never see again.
On the whole, I think as a team it was one of our best years across the cobbled classics stretch. The win in Flanders is obviously a highlight, but we were certainly competitive in almost all of the races and several teammates produced strong results. It’s been a really memorable couple of months of cycling, and it has only added to my desire to do even better for the team next season.
Looking ahead to the rest of the year, my immediate focus shifts to my home race – the Amstel Gold race – which will be a special occasion, seeing so many friends and family supporting me. We have a strong group heading to the race, so we are confident of a strong showing if we all perform to our best. From there, I hope to compete in a Grand Tour event at some point this season, before finishing the year with the group of Italian races. It promises to be a season to remember.
From a team perspective, the Tour De France is the ultimate goal that we are all collectively striving towards. It’s the biggest cycling race in the world, and as one of the top teams on the circuit, we certainly have victory in our sights. It’s been a really strong start to 2023 for us, so we’re looking to keep improving and keep delivering podiums and race wins.
To our fans and partners of the UAE, thank you. You are the foundation of everything this team is built on, and we wouldn’t be able to achieve success without your continued support.
