Menno Huising wants more after his first time trial championship... And Visma | Lease a Bike sure has the means for it!

The Netherlands had two participants in the U23 time trial at the World Championships on Monday: Wessel Mouris and Menno Huising. The former managed to secure ninth place, while the latter ended up in 24th place at his first time trial representing the Netherlands. Afterwards, the friendly Dutchman –who will be a WorldTour pro for Visma | Lease a Bike next year – shared his story with IDLProCycling.com.

We start with a cliché. How do you feel after this time trial?

"It's tough, but it went okay. I mainly came here to gain experience. I started off well and rode a good first part, but I think I was too cautious in the last straight part. That's where I kind of faded, or something. I came here without any expectations, really with the goal to learn and minimal preparation.

Three weeks ago I knew I was going to ride, but the road race has always been the main goal. Whether I can draw a conclusion from this now, I don't know. It's a bit disappointing, seeing the time and speed. But yes, it does offer perspectives for the future. The fact that there's something to achieve and that it's a discipline I should be able to compete in if I practice a lot. I'm very happy with that, also with the opportunity I've been given by the federation.

I had a bit of a disadvantage due to the wet roads, but so did the guys around me. Even on a dry road, I wouldn't have ridden minutes faster. So I'm sitting here with mixed feelings. Secretly I had hoped for more, even though I had no real expectations."

From your split times, it seems like you tackled the climbs quite well.

"My form is very good because those climbs are also where I want to excel on Friday. And then there's also the fact that I was riding on a bike and in a discipline where I have no experience at all. To then already ride good times, teaches me that my performance is also good. I had confidence in that, but it's also bittersweet that I then faded a bit on the other sections.

But that was also why I was here and what I'm here to learn. I'll be disappointed about it for the next few hours, but after that, I'm mainly happy with the chance I've been given."

You said you faded. Do you mean you could have gone harder or that your legs were filling up?

"Looking back, I think I should have started off faster. I was just too cautious. I should have started faster and then seen how long I could have lasted. I didn't push the pain threshold enough, and that's something I can only blame myself for."

Is the time trial something you want to focus more on in the coming years?

"It's definitely something I really want to improve on. What I've noticed in the past few weeks is that it fits nicely into the preparation for a road race. I always had in my mind that that wasn't going to work: if I focused on a road race, I would just ride that road bike. While that's completely unnecessary because you can also do a lot of training on your time trial bike. And that's something I permanently want to change in my training and preparations for races. Then I'll see where that goes.

This is my first-ever championship on a time trial bike. I've never even ridden a National Championship, so there are definitely a lot of gains to be made. And that's a must, I think, as a cyclist. If I now look back on the reasons why I never did that time trial..."

Why then?

"As a youth, I do know why, because I was just on the mountain bike. But later on, I don't really know, I was just always so focused on that road race. There was always something. But now I think: if you do two training sessions in a day or a shorter training session, then that can be done perfectly on that time trial bike. It doesn't all have to be on that road bike."

What support do you get for this from Visma | Lease a Bike?

"We haven't spoken about anything specific yet, but of course, there are plenty of opportunities within the team. I understand that I don't get the same things as a Wout or Jonas, but it is something in which I can grow. If I now look at the federation, how someone like Daan Hoole or the juniors are busy with cogs, gears, crank lengths and waxed chains... Then those guys ask me what I have, but I don't even know.

That is the advantage, that I can rely on what I get from the team. I rode around here with a double blade, without a waxed chain, and so on. There is still plenty to gain, but in the end those are things you do to get a few percent extra. I absolutely don't want to use that as an excuse, but they are things in which I can grow and through which I can get more opportunities. The advantage is also that there will be more time trials coming up with the pros, where you have the freedom to go all-out. No matter how much pain that causes, I will have to seize those opportunities every time. And then I will probably see each time that it's getting better."

Read more below the photo!

Huising going all out for a top result in the road race on Friday

What have you learned for the road race on Friday?

"There's power there. I went on a training camp alone in Stavelot (the Netherlands, ed.) for a week. That's something I wouldn't normally just do, but I was allowed to do my own thing. Then I noticed that there was a lot of power. I shouldn't look at the guys from the WorldTour, which I never do anyway. I can be confident, and this effort is also going to contribute well to that."

What are your ambitions?

"I always start to win. Whether it's realistic, that is something to consider. I haven't won a race this year, but I think I just have the right form. I am confident saying that now, and then we'll see how far I get. If someone is stronger, then I'm at peace with that. I don't see myself as the top favorite and I don't put the pressure on myself that I have to make it all happen, but I do start with the goal of being the first across the finish line."

You also did the altitude training camp with the Vuelta guys of Visma | Lease a Bike. The last altitude training camp of Robert Gesink, you were in the same room as Dylan van Baarle... How was that and what did you take away from that?

"It was my first altitude training camp. I have to say that I started the season off very well, but I hadn't achieved results yet. I couldn't yet make the step to forcing those results, but from the moment I came back from altitude, I was really, really good. I was able to take a nice extra step forward there, and that really gave me back that confidence.

When I evaluated things for myself in the middle of the season, I just wasn't satisfied. I rode really good races, but I just wasn't satisfied with how it was going. In the second part of the season, I still haven't achieved results, but when I see how hard I ride, I am satisfied. The luck or bad luck also needs to be forced a bit, and that's just not there yet, but you notice that an altitude camp just really helps.

I'm lucky that I was allowed and able to do it. I've gained a lot of experience. That's not something you just take with you in those first one and a half months, it's more career experience. Robert Gesink has as much pro experience as I have in my entire life. Being in the same room as Dylan van Baarle, who was preparing for the Olympics, also helps. You see how they operate 24/7, even when they're relaxing.

After that, I just reached a very good level. In the Tour de l'Avenir, I was among the fifteen best riders uphill, with my way of racing. From day two, I went all-in, reaching TSS scores and everything every day. I thought I couldn't keep it up, but I did. That gave so much confidence. And the same in Friuli, where I was among the top five or six riders on the toughest climbs. Then you know it's good, also heading towards this Friday."