Bauke Mollema will start his eighth year with Trek-Segafredo in 2022, welcoming eleven new names to the team. Among them are two Dutch men: Dan Hall (SEG Racing) and Antoine Tolhoek (Jumbo Visma). The 27-year-old Tolhoek has more freedom in Trek-Segafredo than in Jumbo-Visma and that could be fine, according to Mollema.
This 35-year-old rider from Groningen makes this known in Fast slow podcast live stream. With Laurens ten Dam, among others, they talk about the switch from Tolhoek, who replaces Jumbo-Visma with Trek-Segafredo five years later. In those five years he won one stage at the Tour of Switzerland (2019), but the rest of his rest is scanty. He often had to work with a leader, but with his new team he seems to have a greater chance of being successful. Sports Director Stephen de Jong recently announced that he could play an important role in the mountain stages, short stage races and the Ardennes Classic. “He can take part in the splits and compete for stage victories.”
It is the same role that Mollema usually plays with the team and which has brought him the necessary success. In the past seven years, he has racked up two stage victories at the Tour de France, the San Sebastian Classic and the Tour of Lombardy. It remains to be seen if Tolhoek can pursue those same dreams. However, Mollema thinks his move was not a bad choice. “I think this substitution can work well for him. He will have more freedom here and that will benefit him. Both in matches and in training.
Ten Dam compares Talhawk with Mollima: “Antoine also makes no sense.
Mollema talks about Ten Dam, with whom he starred at the Tour de France in 2014. Ten Dam remains in regular contact with Tolhoek and is also positive about his substitution and compares him to Mollema. Antoine too Does not make sense. He’s someone who can join the break during every mountain stage. Then he can arrange his days and seize his opportunities. But he can also fill a gap if necessary, he has already shown that. Tolhoek noted earlier in an interview that winning a Grand Tour stage was his main goal and that’s why he made the switch. At the moment, he also appears to be on the list to run the Tour de France for the team next summer.
