Oldest debutant Reinders level-headed as always in Tour de France: "You can only quit cycling once"

Just a year ago, he was riding for the continental team Riwal, and now he finds himself in the biggest cycling race in the world. One could say that Elmar Reinders is living his dream with Jayco-AlUla, but the down-to-earth rider from Drenthe simply focuses on doing his job.

In the fourth stage to Nogaro, Reinders will once again play a crucial role in Dylan Groenewegen's sprint train, occupying the position of the second-to-last man. As a strong rider, and at the age of 31, the oldest debutant in the Tour this year, his task is to ensure that Luka Mezgec and especially Groenewegen are in a good position as they approach the final kilometer.

"It's the biggest cycling race in the world, so it's great that I have the opportunity to do my job here," he told the Dutch media before the start of the Tour. However, the race has never been an obsession for him. "I didn't fight my way here with that in mind, but more because I simply enjoy cycling and have the feeling that we'll see what happens, and if I get an opportunity, I'll take it from there."

"You can only quit once, and then you can't start again," he dryly states, adding that he has never had trouble focusing on cycling, even at lower levels. "I've always enjoyed training and racing."

Reinders: "I actually didn't know Groenewegen that well"

He joined Jayco-AlUla at the recommendation of Groenewegen, taking over the position of the long-term injured rider Amund Grøndahl Jansen in the sprint train. The designated sprinter appreciates the Dutch contribution to his lead-out. "Over the past year, I asked if Elmar could have a chance in the team, and he seized that opportunity with both hands. He has been performing very well throughout the year, both in the classics and in the sprint train, where he has taken over Amund's role. This is Elmar's first Tour de France, but he is a loyal teammate who will certainly fulfill his duties."

Reinders himself was a bit surprised when he was asked to race in the WorldTour. "I actually didn't know Dylan that well before this, but now we have a good relationship. Dylan asked me if I had signed anywhere and if I might be interested in talking to this team, and that's how it happened," the rider from Emmen recalls.