JUMBO-VISMA
NETHERLANDS
Riders: 29 Under 26: 8 Over 35: 2
Key stat: Thomas Gloag is the first rider from the UK to represent the various guises of the Dutch team since the late Dave Rayner rode for the then Buckler-colnago-decca outfit in 1991-1992
How was the off-season?
Though they have lost talisman Tom Dumoulin to retirement, they have recruited astutely with the signings of experienced riders Wilco Kelderman, Dylan van Baarle and Jan Tratnik. “With guys like Kelderman and Tratnik, we have added big power to our GC team, and we now have two very strong line-ups, equal in strength,” DS Merijn Zeeman tells Cycling Weekly. “We are fully confident that we can support both Primož [Roglič] and Jonas [Vingegaard] in both [the Giro d’italia and Tour de France].”
Biggest challenge
How do you improve on a 2022 season that brought with it Tour de France yellow, green and polka-dot jerseys, along with a raft of other spectacular wins? “It’s not easy, but we always look for improvement,” says Zeeman. “In the autumn, we had long evaluations with the coaches, interviewed the riders, heard different opinions, and identified things to work on. Even though we won a lot, you lose more races than you win. We’re not doing anything s**t, but sometimes the strategy was not the best. Individually and collectively we can get better.”
Man on the spot
Roglič lost his grip on the Vuelta a España last year as his Tour dream passed him by once again. The Giro is his target this time around – can he avoid mishaps and crashes?
Ones to watch
Olav Kooij, 21, quietly went under the radar, winning 12 sprints in 2022, mostly in second- and third-tier stage races. He’s earmarked as a future king of sprinting.