Krijnsen explains plainly why Visma | LaB was not an option for him: "You won't find that out there"

Jelte Krijnsen was one of the breakout riders of this fall. The 23-year-old from Friesland in the Netherlands earned a transfer to Jayco-AlUla with his strong performances. Krijnsen also drew interest from Visma | Lease a Bike but decided to pass on that opportunity. In an interview with the Dutch cycling outlet Wielerrevue, he explains why.

Visma | Lease a Bike had a specific role in mind for Krijnsen. "I know Olav Kooij from my time with Willebrord wil Vooruit (a Dutch local team, ed.), and that team was looking for a lead-out for him. We had discussions, but they were clear: I wouldn’t get many opportunities for myself," Krijnsen said. He appeared to be a candidate for the sprint lead-out role after a nearly finalized transfer of Mike Teunissen to Visma | LaB fell through at the last minute. The Dutch team eventually filled the position with Brit Daniel McLay.

The fact that Krijnsen would have few chances to race for himself at Visma | Lease a Bike made the decision easy. "I’m still at the stage where I want to see how far I can go. I want to find out if I can become one of the best riders in the world. If I’m mainly a domestique in most races, I probably won’t find that out," Krijnsen explains clearly. "I want to race for myself at this point in my career. I can always support others later. At Visma | Lease a Bike, the competition within the team is simply too high for that."

Krijnsen gets freedom at Jayco-AlUla to explore spring classics

Krijnsen made his breakthrough this fall with a stage win in the Tour of Denmark and victory in the Druivenkoers-Overijse. After those wins, Krijnsen didn’t lack interest. In the end, Jayco-AlUla’s offer appealed to him the most. The team is giving Krijnsen a free role in the spring classics. "Joining a WorldTour team is truly a dream come true for me. I still can’t believe that this dream will become reality next year. Along with the team, I want to perform well in the spring classics, as these kinds of races suit me well. My goal is to get the best out of myself and compete at a high level in the WorldTour," Krijnsen said at the time.

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