Maikel Zijlaard on lead-outs for De Kleijn, personal chances of success, powerhouse Trentin and "golden formula"

By now, Zijlaard is of course no longer an unknown rider in the pro peloton, after he previously won the overall classification of Olympia's Tour (2022) and the Dorpenomloop Rucphen (2022). The tall powerhouse also managed to achieve impressive finishes in high-level races multiple times. For example, he finished third in the prologue of the Deutschland Tour (2023) and eighth in a stage of the AlUla Tour (2024).

In 2020 and 2021, the South Hollander represented the colors of SEG Racing Academy, in 2022 he rode for VolkerWessels Cycling Team, and so it was last season that he made the switch to the ProTour. And that has certainly paid off for the cheerful youngster. "Personally, I'm doing okay," he says prior to Nokere Koerse at the market square in Deinze. "I think we as a team have started off super well this year. In the UAE Tour, Arvid (De Kleijn, ed.) showed some great stuff. He also rode incredibly strong in Paris-Nice, including that stage win. Unfortunately, I did not finish Paris-Nice, but that was also with an eye on what's to come. I think I am really making steps towards a full pro level. I am very pleased with that."

Zijlaard - who, in the absence of De Kleijn, impressively finished seventh in the battle on Nokereberg, won by Tim Merlier - is a trump card that Tudor can play in various ways and in different scenarios. "We have seen in the past races - but certainly also last year - that I am good at lead-outs and in shorter time trials," Zijlaard explains. "So, the team wants to see how far I can get in those aspects of racing. I think I have not yet reached my limits, so we will see where that goes. Now and then, I can certainly chase my own success in certain races."

"The things you are good at are always more fun to do than the things you are less good at. So, I must say that I find doing lead-outs really cool. Riding prologues is something that hurts a lot, but that's what appeals to me," Zijlaard continues about his specific preferences. "I generally think cycling is incredibly fun, so no matter where I go and stand at the starting line, I enjoy it. And even more so when you ride for a team like Tudor. Everything is well organized here. That makes it even more fun."

So we note Zijlaard's praising words about his Swiss employer. But what is really the success formula of the squad that is seen as a rising star within road cycling? And where does this 'new' performance boost of the already 29-year-old De Kleijn suddenly come from? Zijlaard explains. "I think it's about the group we have. Take a BORA-hansgrohe as an example. They have guys in the lead-out train who average eighty kilograms. Our sprint preparers are a bit lighter, they're guys who perhaps can handle the Belgian work a bit better. What also makes us strong is that we really want to succeed as a team. And that our team is essentially a very big group of friends."

"That's why we enjoy riding for each other so much," he emphasizes once again. "It creates a beautiful formula. Ultimately, we are all fast cyclers. But having someone like Matteo Trentin in the team is fantastic. He can ride incredibly fast. And aside from the serious stuff, we just have fun together. I think that really plays a big role. Actually, that might well be the golden formula. When it is time to race seriously, we know exactly what we are doing. And when we can have fun, the whole group does something enjoyable together. Then we might go gaming, for instance. Fun, right?"