Strong debut for Jumbo-Visma Development Team in Ster van Zwolle
Olav Kooij has finished second in the Ster van Zwolle. The 18-year-old Jumbo-Visma Development Team rider was beaten by David Dekker after a tough race. With this, Kooij immediately provides the new development team a podium place in the first race of the team.
The wind had free rein in Zwolle and led to major gaps in the peloton. The development team of Team Jumbo-Visma maintained themselves in the front and was always present in the first echelon. Rick Pluimers was seventh, while Mick van Dijke finished just outside the top ten. Van Dijke also conquered the mountain jersey.
Kooij looked back on his podium place with a good feeling. “I would rather have won here, but I am still happy with my second place. As a team we rode strongly. From the start it was a nervous race. We were prepared for that. It was important to stay ahead and be attentive. The rain in the final made it cold and very heavy, leaving us with a few riders at the end. That seemed to be the group with which we were going to compete for the victory, but in the end a group came back. At the end I sprinted for what I was worth. That resulted in second place. "
"These were really tough conditions today," sports director Robert Wagner said. “I have seen a good team. Olav is first year U23. It is great to immediately achieve such a result.”