How tough Danny van Poppel turned Sam Welsford into a sprint beast during do-or-die winter

He has been called the best lead-out in the peloton for several years, but there are still insufficient wins for a sprint puller of his caliber. And that frustrates, as Danny van Poppel admitted last year. The 31-year-old Dutch rider was used as a sprint leader by Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe more often than he would have liked because his intended sprint leaders failed. And so Van Poppel pulled the strings on Sam Welsford this winter.

The 29-year-old Australian was given a few more months to prove himself to his team at the enormously ambitious Red Bull, but especially to his lead-out. In the Tour Down Under, he did an excellent job. Van Poppel was the enabler three times, and Welsford completed it three times in the sprint. "The guys were so good, they took control. They were great, so excellent," the winner cheered.

Van Poppel must have watched with approval and received all the praise (not for the first time). "Sprint legend Robbie McEwen praised the Dutch rider for his fantastic piloting skills. "You see him getting the team on the rails. He gives the instructions to the team so Sam doesn't need to. He could potentially win himself, but he puts his power, his energy, and his ambition aside for the team. He does such selfless work. He is riding for the glory of another man."

It brings us back to a conversation in the Spanish sun in December at a table in Mallorca. Van Poppel told his story there with a smile but also came across as stern and firm. It really has to happen in 2025, after he had to sprint himself too often in the past three seasons due to the lack of form of his intended leaders. This resulted in the following interview with IDLProCycling.com.

What did you do this winter?

"I’ve been a pro for 13 years now, so you pretty much know what you need to do by this point. I trained a lot, just like in previous years. The approach has worked well over the last three or four seasons, so I’m sticking with it."

You won't stay off the bike for three weeks?

"Yes, I do, but after that, I start itching to ride again. I have a routine: after those three weeks, I make sure to get back into it."

We’ve talked before about your ambitions each year, but the program often changes. Do you have a rough idea of what 2025 will look like?

"Yes, I’ll start with the Tour Down Under and the UAE Tour, focusing on sprinting. Then we’ll do some classics with a new classics team, which is exciting for us. After that, I’ll take a break, then Hungary, Switzerland, and I’m set for the Tour de France. But I’m being cautious about that."

Just one Grand Tour then?

"Well, we haven’t discussed what happens after the Tour yet—that’s the main focus."

So, sprinting again, another year with Sam Welsford. I saw you training hard with him on social media. How’s your confidence in him after what was a disappointing 2024? You’ve said before that he needs to improve quite a bit...

"Yes, last year just wasn’t good—I’m very open and honest about that. It was a huge disappointment for me because after Sam Bennett left in 2022, I was hoping for a fresh start. I never expected this. I genuinely believe that if there’s a fast sprinter behind me, we can win ten to fifteen races a year. I’m absolutely convinced of that, and I don’t say things like that lightly. That’s why I was so disappointed.

This winter, Sam moved to Monaco, and we’ve trained together every day. I now see it as a bit of a project. He comes from the track and has only been a pro for three years, so I need to be realistic. I hope I’ve taught him a lot—I’ve shared plenty of tips and secrets. Tonight, we’re even going to watch sprint videos together, and then we’ll see how it goes. I’m trying to share all my experience to help him perform as well as possible."

A lead-out even to the hotel room, then?

"Yes, we’ll watch videos together to see what can be improved. I really enjoy that, and we’ll see how it turns out. I’m certain he’ll be much better than he was last year."

Van Poppel (right) as a lead-out for Welfsford (left) in the Tour Down Under

Van Poppel doesn't know if Welsford is the top sprinter he wants

In 2024, you were quite critical at times. Is Welsford the kind of person who takes criticism well?

"I don’t really care how someone reacts; at this level, you just have to say what needs to be said. There’s no time for a soft approach here. A lot is expected of us, so it’s okay to be tough. I’ve told Sam very clearly that things weren’t good enough, and I think it was a wake-up call for him."

Besides everything you’re doing for him, is the team planning to try anything radically different? We’ve read everywhere that Red Bull was mostly just a name during the first half of the year but is now bringing in all its expertise. How does that affect the sprint train?

"We’re going to focus on getting Sam on track in the first few weeks, and then we’ll see if he delivers and what races he’ll be assigned to. The team is quite strict about that, which I think is great. If someone works hard and performs, they deserve opportunities. With Red Bull, I’ve seen a lot of changes—maybe a 30 or 40 percent improvement overall. That’s pretty impressive. This is my fourth year with the team, so I know where we started. We have to keep up with modern cycling, and now we have the budget for that. You can immediately see that with more money, smarter people have joined, and things are getting done."

Fabio Jakobsen has mentioned that he became too much of a sprinter and struggled on climbs. Can you broadly explain where Welsford’s challenges lay?

"It’s somewhat similar, I think. Sam still had the track in the back of his mind and maybe didn’t realize that working with me means giving it 110 percent. Australians are a bit more laid-back, and I’m the opposite. I want to win races, I’m super driven, and I give everything, including being critical of myself.

We can’t necessarily expect non-European riders to share the same Dutch-Belgian upbringing and culture we have. For example, at Rabobank, if you were five minutes late, you’d hear about it. That’s how I was raised, but Sam and I had good conversations about it, and we’ve found common ground. We’re fully committed to 2025. I’m not making any predictions yet, but I do know we’ve worked much harder than last year. Now, it’s time to turn that into results."

Now that the Olympics are over, you must be relieved that the full focus is finally on the road for him?

"Yes. It’s a bit harsh, but for Australians, an Olympic gold medal means so much more than it does for us. It makes you a huge star. It’s good that chapter is closed, also for him."

Do you believe that if everything goes right, Sam Welsford could be among the top two or three sprinters in the world?

"If everything goes right, yes. I really see it as a great project. Sam moved to Monaco and started working with my trainer. We’ve been doing a lot of the same things, and when you always train together, you have to communicate a lot. He’s changed 180 degrees. Now, if I say we’re meeting at the roundabout at 9:00, he’s there. That’s been great to see. I have a lot of experience to share, but I also don’t want to put too much pressure on him. If he just focuses on sprinting hard, the results will come."

With Mick and Tim van Dijke joining, you’re getting some extra power in the train...

"Yes, absolutely! I’m super excited about the Van Dijke brothers and immediately told CEO Ralph Denk that we need those guys on board. There are certain things you notice in the peloton that team directors might not see. Mick and Tim understand the game and have great bike-handling skills. If I were to build my dream train, they’d definitely be in it."

Are they joining the train immediately, or will there be some trial and error?

"Mick is joining us for Paris-Nice, and we’ll see how it goes from there. But I already have complete trust that it will work out with them. If we can also get a top finisher... I believe the team is keeping that in mind for the future, that we need a world-class sprinter."

It would be good if we didn't see Danny van Poppel sprinting by himself anymore?

"Haha, yeah, pretty much! I’ve changed a bit in that regard. I was very focused on Bennett and Welsford, but when Sam suddenly didn’t go to the Giro, I decided not to rely entirely on one guy anymore. I just want to win races, and sometimes you have to grind through. One day, there will be a super-fast sprinter with whom I can win my dream Tour stages. I’m not leaving this team—I’m super happy here. That’s the main thing."

You mentioned that the super-fast sprinter might still come. Or is he already here? It sounds like you’re not putting all your faith in Welsford.

"Well, it’s still business. I do believe in Sam’s potential, but I’m hesitant to say too much. I’ve seen how it hasn’t worked out before, but deep down, I still believe in it. That’s also what makes it exciting—it can only get better from here."

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