Why Poels chose Vinokourov over Bahrain after Giro and World Championship blow: "It does add up, of course"

To say Poels has had an eventful year is an understatement. After winning a stage in the Tour de France in 2023, his big goal in 2024 was a stage victory in the Giro d'Italia. Then, he would have one in all three grand tours. Bahrain Victorious heard the request but pulled the plug at the last minute. No Giro for Poels, but the Tour ...

In the fall, a second blow on the calendar for Poels followed, who had already been looking forward to the World Championship in Zurich but was not chosen by the Dutch national coach. A transfer to Astana Qazaqstan these weeks cleared things up.

"That has subsided by now, though. I watched the last eighty kilometers, and what Pogacar did there was impressive."

"I could have done well there, significantly to help the team. If you saw how quickly it was split open and what tactics were used, some gaps sometimes needed to be closed. But it is what it is, and in the end, we got an excellent winner. Everyone wishes Pogacar well, even though he has already won so much. He's an exceptional champion."

"Well, he called me, and that's it. Maybe I can be there again next year in Rwanda."

"It's all very unfortunate in the end. I started very well, with Catalonia and the Tirreno, where I rode well. After that, I wasn't allowed to go to the Giro, but I still won a nice stage in Hungary. Finally, I went on the tour, where I might have hoped for a little more. However, it was a tough Tour, and in the end, I got a nice transfer, so now I'm enjoying cycling towards the end of the season."

"Yes, they made me another offer after the tour. But Astana was on my radar by then, and after five years, I thought it was time to make another change."

"That is a bit blunt, but it adds up. You ask yourself if you still want to change and if you still want to leave. Then you make a list of what you still want to do, and then tick off the pros and cons."

"They need points for the WorldTour ranking, of course, and I picked up quite a few points this year. Next year, you start all over again, so I just want to try to have good races and results. Maybe try again for the Giro, although we haven't discussed a program yet. That tour is still on my mind, though."

"Well, I only spoke to him over the phone. Nothing special in itself, mind you."

"I still want many things, but I don't know if they are realistic. I just really enjoy racing. The Tour of Hungary is a small race on paper, but it was very nice to win a stage there and make it to the podium. I don't mind competing in smaller races and going for results. I rode in the top ten in Catalonia almost daily and still like doing that."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])