National team coach Cuz Morenhout thinks it’s a shame that Tom Dumoulin will stop cycling at the end of the season. The 31-year-old rider from Jumbo-Visma announced Friday that he is in his final season as a professional cyclist.
“It would definitely be a loss for Dutch cycling,” Morenhout responds, who gave the 31-year-old Dumoulin a brilliant finish to the World Cup. The tournament in Australia in September will be the jockey’s last stunt.
“He told me a few days ago this was about to happen,” Morinhout says. “I knew he could go on like this. But also Tom is such a class act where class definitely didn’t go and he could also come back. That was a choice he had to make and he did.”
The 2017 Giro winner and World Test Champion that year said in a statement that his body was no longer cooperating enough to remain active at the top level. He hopes to be able to play it again on time at the World Cup in September.
He said the national coach would in principle provide Dumoulin that space provided the rider was in good shape and in good health. “Tom is a true time trial specialist and knows what he has to do for it. He gave twice as much.”
Tom Dumoulin was crowned the World Experience Champion in 2017.
Tom Dumoulin was crowned the World Experience Champion in 2017.
picture: AP
Morinhout believes in a successful closing
According to Moerenhout, Dumoulin could certainly shine once again in the World Cup experience. “He himself points out that the balance is a bit off. And that he has to do more than he gets in return. But I also think he will enter such a competition with his class to put in a great performance.”
Dumoulin paused cycling at the beginning of 2021, but reverted to that decision a few months later and then took home his second silver medal in the time trial at the 2021 Olympics. “The Games were a ‘trigger’ to begin with,” Moreenhout said proudly of the achievement. again.”
Moerenhout is now hoping for a nice finish for Dumoulin in the remaining months. “It’s unique what he achieved by winning the Giro d’Italia. We don’t have that many winners in a Grand Tour,” he says, referring to Jan Jansen and Jupp Zutemilk, who both won the Tour de France and Ronde. He won from Spain.
