On the last day of the European Cycling Championship in Drenthe, the elite men’s road race is scheduled. The Dutch national team, led by coach Koos Moerenhout, hopes to win the European title at home. “We’re going for the victory, that’s clear,” Moerenhout revealed to the Dutch website WielerFlits.
The former cyclist expects victory but remains realistic. “Of course, we’re aiming for victory. We have a team for it, with athletes in great shape. They know the course well and have experience. We’ll certainly start with the highest ambition possible, but other countries will have this idea too.”
In the last World Cup in Glasgow, Moerenhout opted for an offensive racing strategy. And today? “That’s something different now. We have Olav Kooij, who will try to get into breakaways, a sprinter with classic possibilities. So, it’s not up to us to make the race hard, but on the other hand, we can’t miss any breakaways either.”
Moerenhout issues a warning: “Wind can define the competition.”
“We’ve seen in other European Championship races that the wind can be a determining factor and really shake things up. It’s important to stay vigilant all day to not miss the right breakaway. But it’s certainly not up to us to set the course,” Moerenhout said.