Ivar Slik gets to go on a training camp with Astana again: "Nice that Mark Cavendish stays for another year!"

"I'm doing well, although it's not shaping up to be as fantastic a season as last year. Fortunately, I still managed to secure a few podium finishes here and there," says the 30-year-old member of 'The Dutch mafia' as he reflects on the past year. "I mainly focused on the European Championships and World Championships on gravel this season. Unfortunately, the European Championship didn't go so well for me because someone rode into my front derailleur, so that was a bit of a setback."

Despite the fact that the course in Oud-Heverlee seemed more suitable for Slik compared to the one in the Prosecco region, he started in Treviso North with great ambition. "Here in Italy, there are numerous steep climbs, which don't favor a rider like me. Those steep walls are especially challenging, and there are many of them," he explained, chuckling. "I'm still aiming for a top ten or top fifteen result, which would be very satisfying."

Slik has accumulated a wealth of road racing experience throughout his career. Hailing from Nigtevecht, he began his road cycling journey with Rabobank's training team and then enjoyed multi-year stints with Roompot, Monkey Town, and À Bloc CT. These days, however, he is a dedicated gravel and beach racer. During the World Championships (and the European Championships), some true gravel specialists criticized the course for having too few gravel sections, and there were even reports of a protest. Slik, however, doesn't necessarily agree with these comments. "It's challenging to find more gravel than what we had," Slik stated. "I believe it's fair to say that the selected routes were well chosen. Even the sections that weren't gravel were either uphill or downhill. Therefore, I can't deem it a disappointing or unworthy World Cup course."

The winner of a stage in the 2019 Sibiu Cycling Tour is someone who regularly travels to the United States. There, he competes in several gravel races, including Unbound Gravel, a 330-kilometer gravel race in Kansas. In 2022, he managed to win this remarkable race. "I truly enjoy these races, primarily because they suit me the best! Riding in the front makes it much more enjoyable," he confesses his affection for American races. "If I had to choose, I'd prefer a 330-kilometer Unbound over a 170-kilometer championship in Europe. In the United States, it's all about powering through long, straight stretches. Even there, you still have 3,000 meters of elevation gain, but it's more like a series of one-kilometer hills at about four or five percent. However, because the climbs in Italy are incredibly steep, 170 kilometers is more than sufficient."

So, in the end, Slik had to settle for 56th place, nearly half an hour behind Mohoric. The resilient rider, wearing a smile, mentioned that the battle for the rainbow jersey marked his last gravel race of the year. "With this, the offseason is officially underway. It's been quite a long season, so the break is welcome. After that, I can start focusing on 2024. Unbound will once again be my primary goal. Next year's World Championships will also be significant for me as it will be held on the same course as the last European Championships."

So, what are Slik's plans for the next few months? "I'll be participating in some beach racing over the next months, starting fairly soon. At the end of October, I'll compete in Noordwijk, so the racing hiatus won't be too long," says Slik, concluding the interview with excitement about his upcoming training camp with Alexandre Vinokourov's team in January, just like this year. "I'm really looking forward to riding with the Astana Qazaqstan Team. In that regard, it's especially fantastic that Mark Cavendish is staying for another year! Ide (Schelling) will be there from next year as well, which adds to the fun."