Van Baarle was delighted with his title. "It is a dream to ride the Tour de France in red, white and blue. After a failed spring and a lot of bad luck, this is sweet. Things were going well at the Dauphiné, and I was able to connect the dots at the training camp in Tignes. I'm more than happy with this victory.”

The Dutchman laid the foundations for his first title on the road with a clever and well-considered attack in the final kilometres. "I chose the right moment for my attack. Mathieu van der Poel had attacked so many times before, so I wasn't surprised that he didn't follow. When he goes full speed on the climbs, I can't follow. So I had to be smart. I know very well what I can and can't do.”

The winner of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was complimentary about the way Team Jumbo-Visma rode in the summer weather conditions. "Olav had to try to follow Mathieu on the climbs, and he did. That's very strong. And Olav was very strong in the lead group with Robert Gesink. Behind them, we were always riding with different guys. It was also a matter of teamwork because I would never have made it without help. This victory is also for my teammates.”

Kooij finished a respectable second behind the winner. He also praised the teamwork of the yellow and black squad. "It was a tough battle, also because of the hot weather. We rode attentively, and I'm glad I was part of the breakaway. Robert did an excellent job. We won as a team and rode as a strong block. It all worked out perfectly.”

It is Van Baarle's second victory of the season after winning the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Team Jumbo-Visma's victory tally now stands at 42.