Van Dijke twins eager to perform well at Paris-Roubaix
La Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre. Cycling fans will know what it is all about: Paris-Roubaix. In the shadow of all the bad luck that Team Visma | Lease a Bike has had this spring, the twins Mick and Tim van Dijke are mounting a remarkable classic campaign. The duo have set their sights on Paris-Roubaix.
Tim and Mick were born in the Dutch town of Goes 24 years ago. The duo were soon introduced to and fell in love with cycling. From the age of six, the brothers trained for one big goal: to become professional cyclists. This spring, the Van Dijke brothers added a new dimension to an already unique story.
"It is extraordinary to do this with Mick"
Tim and Mick have raced Paris-Roubaix before, but this Sunday will be their first time together at the start of the Hell of the North. "It is extraordinary to do this with Mick”, Tim says. “Next to the Tour of Flanders, I think Paris-Roubaix is the best race on the calendar. We are doing it together this year. It's extraordinary, and I know that only too well.”
The youngster says he is enjoying the season. "The spring is going well for me. I felt strong at Paris-Nice. Since then, I feel I have only got better. Last winter, I made another step forward in my development. Last year, for the first time in my career, I was spared a whole season of physical problems. I was confident in the team's coaching staff and never missed a training session. I continued to work very hard. It seems to be paying off. It may not show in a top result immediately, but I can always do much for the team leaders. The appreciation I get from them is priceless”, the Dutchman says.
Paris-Roubaix is 260 kilometres long. The riders will start in Compiègne and finish in Roubaix late afternoon. The peloton will tackle no less than 30 cobbled sections on Sunday. In total, Tim and Mick van Dijke and their teammates will cover just under sixty kilometres of cobbles.
"When I look at the photos I’m sure I will get goosebumps"
For Mick, too, riding with his brother is something special. "It is an incredible dream to ride these big races with Tim. Maybe that realisation will come later for me. I don't have much time to think about it during the race, but when I look at the photos later I’m sure I will get goosebumps. We have been cycling since we were six years old. It's pretty cool that we've made it this far together”, the other half of the duo says.
"I've been racing since the Tour Down Under in January, but I don't feel tired yet”, Mick says of his busy 2024. "That's probably because I'm very motivated to do these races. However, in consultation with the team, I'll consider taking a period of rest. First of all, I want to ride as well as I can on Sunday. I felt strong at the Tour of Flanders. Paris-Roubaix should also suit me very well. It is an exceptional race. Whoever has the least bad luck can go far. Of course, positioning is also crucial. I hope we can ride the final with as many teammates as possible.”
"Christophe Laporte and Dylan van Baarle will be our leaders on Sunday”, Tim says. “I will try to serve them as best I can. In Flanders, I was able to help Tiesj Benoot and get him back into the race. That gave me confidence. Paris-Roubaix suits me even better. Luckily, we have a broad base. If someone drops out, there are others ready to fill the gap, which is certainly the case this spring with all the bad luck we have had.”
The last word goes to Mick. "The conditions are tough, as we found out during the reconnaissance. If we finish on the podium next Sunday and have a good race as a team, I will be more than happy. With Dylan and Christophe, we have two riders capable of doing that. I will give everything, and I want to prove myself.”
In addition to the Van Dijke twins, the Visma | Lease a Bike team will be represented by Christophe Laporte, Dylan van Baarle, Edoardo Affini, Per Strand Hagenes and Julien Vermote.
