Dutch champion Roosen looks forward to racing in the national colours in Wallonia
From 20 to 24 July the Tour of Wallonie is on the programme in Belgium. Team Jumbo-Visma has a mix of professionals and youth at the start. For Timo Roosen it will be the first race kilometres in his national champion’s jersey.
Fast riders who can digest a climb will feel at home in Wallonia during the next few days. All week it will be a rolling course. Roosen is in good shape and is looking forward to the coming week. “After the Dutch championship I went on a training camp in Tignes. There I have made the necessary training kilometres. I think I am in a good shape. I am ready to race”, the motivated Roosen says.
"I am ready to race."
Dutch national colours
A month ago, Roosen conquered the national title in the Dutch province of Drenthe. The Team Jumbo-Visma rider can't wait to compete in the national colours for the first time. “I have been looking forward to this moment. Finally I can show my jersey to the public. It is a great honour to ride around in this jersey for the next year. It makes me proud. I think that the form of the past Dutch championship will certainly not have disappeared. The victory at the Dutch championship has certainly given me a confidence boost. I enjoy being able to put on the jersey every morning.”
"I enjoy being able to put on the jersey every morning."
Roosen, who makes his debut in this race, is clear about the goals for the upcoming week. “We have a strong team at the start. Dylan Groenewegen will try to take his chances in the sprint stages. As a team, it is important to support him as much as possible. In the - on paper - slightly more difficult stages there will also be chances for myself, but also for Pascal Eenkhoorn and Olav Kooij. The course there is hardly flat. After a difficult start, I can probably achieve something good in the final.”
Special feeling
“It seems very special to me to be able to ride Paris-Roubaix in this jersey”, Roosen says. “That race is beautiful in itself. To be able to ride it as Dutch champion makes it extra special. The Benelux Tour is also a personal goal for me. But the focus is on this Tour of Wallonia. People now expect something from Timo Roosen as the Dutch champion. I can live with that. I always set the bar very high.”
Selection
In addition to Roosen, Groenewegen, Eenkhoorn and Kooij, Christoph Pfingsten, Rick Pluimers and Tim van Dijke will also be competing in Wallonie. The last two will tie in from the Jumbo-Visma Development Team.
