Giro, Tour and Vuelta: Jumbo-Visma’s clean sweep in the Grand Tours has surprised Tom Dumoulin (32). The ex-Giro winner ended his career with the Dutch team and is trying to explain their dominance. Although he hopes that the tide will turn soon.
Tom Dumoulin knows the house, but reacts “surprised” to the NOS. “Nobody expected this dominance, not even Team Jumbo – Visma itself.”
Surprising, but then again not. “Look at how well they have been doing in improving and winning and add that together with other teams that are failing.”
“If you also set up your A-team in the Vuelta and prepare them optimally, then this is apparently possible. It is super unique, but I don’t think we will see it often again.”
“I actually hope not, because as an objective cycling follower there have been more exciting Vueltas and Grand Tours. We have not seen any battle. It was a lackluster, strange last week.”
It’s super unique, but I don’t think we’ll see it often again. I actually hope not, because as an objective cycling follower there have been more exciting Vueltas and Grand Tours.
Tom Dumoulin
“I hope that other teams have woken up,” continues Dumoulin, who stopped racing last year. He rode for Jumbo-Visma in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
“Everything fell into place for Jumbo-Visma this year. It seems to me that it will take a few more seasons.”
“History shows that top teams – also in football, for example – are great for a few years, but at a certain point, for example, riders leave.”
“Or that other teams take a step and reach the same level. Then you get a different ratio. But for the time being it looks good.”
“There are more coincidences with other teams”
What does Jumbo-Visma do that the rest don’t? Tom Dumoulin thinks for a long time. “They have a vision and a goal. They work in a super structured way, more so than other teams. A plan is written and they really commit themselves to it.”
“It’s mainly that whole preparation. When they go to the Vuelta with their leaders, they look back for weeks and months. To ensure that they are at the start in optimal shape.”
“They look at all facets: training, nutrition, equipment, care. With other teams there are more coincidences. Professionalism, yes.”
“You expect other teams to take that step, but next year Jumbo-Visma will win one or two more Grand Tours. They have such a lead and you cannot reduce it to zero in one go.”
2023-09-19 07:31:04
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