Hoole, the "controlling and supportive man" for Van der Poel's Olympic dream: What's his strategy?

The national coach, Koos Moerenhout, recently unveiled his Olympic team selection, assigning a pivotal role to Daan Hoole, who will tackle both the time trial and road race in Paris. This decision was warmly received by the Lidl-Trek cyclist, who is determined to hit peak condition for the start. In a conversation with IDLProCycling.com, the affable pace-maker shared his thoughts and his role for Van der Poel.

Moerenhout had several options on the table, having previously hinted that Mathieu van der Poel and Dylan van Baarle— who now dropped out of the Critérium du Dauphiné— were almost certain of a spot. One often-suggested possibility was Olav Kooij, as a potential strong finisher. The sprinter from Visma | Lease a Bike also rode a strong World Championship and European Championship last year, but has has been passed for the Olympics team.

"I would of course have loved to go to the Olympics," Kooij himself said to this site. "It wasn't an easy choice because we only have three spots. The selection isn’t incomprehensible, but speaking for myself: I would have liked to be there. With Mathieu van der Poel as the top favorite, it makes sense to see how best to plan around him. This approach is more controlled and supportive," said the sprinter about the selection strategy.

Thus, the role of 'controller and supporter' falls to Hoole, who was selected from a long list of about ten contenders. How did he react to the news? "I found out the Monday after the Giro," Hoole recounted. "I had a talk with Koos the Sunday before the Giro's final stage, and he told me he would call me the next day. It was incredibly good news. While I hadn’t fully expected it, I had kept it in mind since I knew I was on the long list and had been in discussions with Koos about it, but ultimately, it was still a surprise and a joy."

Hoole and Van der Poel often train together in Spain, and this spring, Hoole showcased his reliability as a domestique for Mads Pedersen and others. This supportive role is now extended to the Olympics. "I’m essentially there to support Mathieu. That might involve various responsibilities because the dynamics of the race can be unpredictable. But it’s evident that my main role will be to assist Mathieu," Hoole clearly understands his duties for this critical competition, where the Netherlands will field three riders.

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Hoole on Olympic time trial: "Very special"

In the time trial, Hoole can do it alone. "Being able to aim for a result myself in the time trial is, of course, very special. I'm currently racing in Belgium, then the National Championships, followed by a brief rest period. After that, I'll head to altitude training for the Olympics, where I aim to peak in both events. The goal is really to specifically prepare for the Olympics."

In May, Hoole and his team, Lidl-Trek, had a very successful Giro d'Italia, where team leader Jonathan Milan clinched the purple jersey. "After a grand tour, you definitely feel a bit tired. It takes about a week before you start feeling fresher and things start to improve, but now I'm feeling good again. So, I'm quite curious about this Baloise Belgium Tour, which I also see as a good week to warm up for the Nationals," he explained. "The National Time Trial is definitely a big goal, but for the road race, we have a strong team on a nice course. I think that will be great too."

Lidl-Trek had three riders in the top ten on Wednesday in Beringen, with Mathias Vacek just missing out on the leader's jersey by finishing second. How does Hoole, who himself finished ninth, explain his team's success? "With Lidl's budget, there is more support, more staff, and I think with better riders we also reach a higher level. There's a bit more pressure to perform, but that's only a good thing."

Lidl-Trek had three men in the top ten in Beringen on Wednesday, with Mathias Vacek just short of the leader's jersey in second place. How can Hoole, who himself finished ninth, explain his team's success? With the Lidl budget there is more guidance, more staff and I think with better riders we have a higher level. There is more pressure to perform, but that is only good.