Dylan van Baarle on Soudal transfer: You do some speed dating, and if you find the one, then you ask for a relationship 💍
Dutch rider opens up about losing faith in Visma-Lease a Bike’s training methods, and why he needed to change teams
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Back in May of last year, just before the Giro d’Italia, I broke the news that Dylan van Baarle would be leaving Visma-Lease a Bike at the end of his three-year deal.
It wasn’t quite clear where the Dutch rider would end up, but Soudal Quick-Step were certainly in the mix.
Fast forward to January, and the former Paris-Roubaix winner is standing in the predominantly blue kit alongside Jasper Stuyven and a host of other new arrivals on Jurgen Fore’s team. The post-Evenepoel world is taking shape, and Van Baarle is a central figure in those plans.
As he takes a seat for our exclusive interview, I’m keen to know how his transfer came about, why he didn’t want to stay at Visma-Lease a Bike, and what he can accomplish as part of the latest chapter in his long career.
I found a rider who offered candid insight into his training at Visma, why he lost faith in their stringent approach, and why he still believes that competing for the Monuments is a realistic ambition.