“I’m happy to start this stage race straight away with a win”, said Kooij after the finish. “Given my results here in 2023, I already had warm feelings about this race, and they’ve only grown stronger now.”

Team Visma | Lease a Bike lined up with a strong mix of experience and youthful talent for this six-stage event. With riders such as Kooij and Matthew Brennan, the team has set its sights on stage victories on British soil.

They made a successful start today. Kooij waited patiently in the final few hundred metres and pipped his rivals right on the line. With that, the Dutchman claimed his eighth victory of the season — bringing Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s total tally to 33 wins so far.

Kooij analysed his triumph: “There was a lot of wind in the final and the road also kicked uphill. We knew we had to be well positioned going into the last corner. After that it was all about patience. My teammates did a really good job. In the last few hundred metres I managed to find the right wheel. With the strong headwind it wasn’t easy, but luckily I had the legs to finish it off.”

“We’ll take it day by day”, the 23-year-old sprinter added on the team’s approach. “With Matthew we also have another rider with a strong finish. Our goal is to win stages. Today we’ve already made a very good start.”

📸 Header photo: SWPix.com