Mollema knows what he wants and doesn't want: "If you ask me which race I'm most excited about, it's the World Championships"

In less than two weeks, the 2025 WorldTour season will kick off again. As tradition dictates, it begins in Australia, on the other side of the world. Just like last year, Bauke Mollema will be there, representing Lidl-Trek. The 38-year-old Dutchman, who resides in Monaco, spoke to AD ahead of his trip Down Under about his ambitions for the upcoming cycling season.

Mollema started his season in Oceania for the first time last year, and he enjoyed it so much that he’s returning in 2025. "I like the heat. It’s great there. Beautiful races with beautiful views. Relaxed, chill, everything is well-organized. Altogether, we’re away for about 25 days. That’s as long as a Grand Tour. But I enjoy being there. Last year, I even spent a day at the beach, did some running, and even took a flight in a small plane. Amazing," he said.

He’s contracted with the significantly strengthened Lidl-Trek team until the end of 2026, but that doesn’t mean he plans to take it easy. "Even after all these years, I still feel the drive to set goals. It’s getting harder to chase those goals, but the motivation is still there," said Mollema, who already has a clear idea of what he wants in 2025. "If you ask me now which race I’m most excited about, it’s definitely the World Championships. The first Worlds to be organized in Africa — the thought alone makes me happy. Isn’t that beautiful?"

"I’ve never been to Africa. I’m not counting a vacation in the Seychelles, haha. Although, technically, that’s Africa too. But I don’t want to go there just to visit a special continent. I really want to make it a goal," said the seasoned pro, who finished an impressive 12th at the World Championships in Zurich this past September.

"That’s why I want to prepare for it in a similar way to last year, maybe even with two or three altitude training camps leading up to the Worlds. It would be great to deliver another standout performance there. It’s tough to have realistic dreams at this point."

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Mollema has already ruled out the Tour de France

Despite his status, Mollema doesn’t yet know exactly where the 2025 season will take him, partly because he’s part of such a strong team. "Of course, that can be challenging at times. I’m the kind of person who thrives on clarity, on working toward a big goal. You don’t need to call me up last minute to fill in somewhere," said Mollema, who no longer expects to ride the Tour de France.

"That’s not realistic given the competition within the team. If they call me up, I’ll be there, of course. It’s already going to be tough to secure a spot in the Giro squad. But that’s a race I’d really love to do," he concluded in his interview with AD.

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