Mission: Rainbow jersey

“He has been on the podium many times in the scratch. He has been on the podium many times in the Scratch. I am happy to call him best Scratch rider in the world, even though people frown a bit when I say so because he has never been World Champion. But if you value every year, look at his sprint and how he did the Euros this year I believe he is the expert at the moment.”

Nick Stöpler, Dutch National Coach Track

In preparation for the World Championships, the Dutch national team went to Livigno for altitude training. Five male and one female rider who will be competing at the World Championships, plus additional athletes who joined the training sessions to make the group bigger and keep the quality of the training high. “So we were between six to twelve riders for training.

“There`s more to it than just showing up to training sessions. Our athletes were busy with road races, physically and mentally tired. We were gonna recover a little bit first, we really wanted to adapt well and we take the first week as time. I want everybody to be happy. I am satisfied if there is jokes at dinner and everybody is laughing. Fundamental building block to get together in a good shape”, as Nick Stöpler explains hias approach to the altitude camp. I want everybody to be happy. I am satisfied if there is jokes at dinner and everybody is laughing. Fundamental building block to get together in a good shape”

During the training sessions, a scientist was present in addition to the coach, so the riders were monitored well. But there were also sessions on mental health, MTB on the days off, stretching and sauna on the rest days. And very important from the national coach’s point of view: “Consistency! Staying in one place for the whole time.”

“We had an amazing three weeks in Livigno. We got really lucky with the weather, the hotel had a good bed and really nice food and ofcourse the sceneries were amazing. So it was three weeks of sleep, eat, train, repeat. ” It was three weeks of: Sleep. Eat. Train. Repeat”, as Roy sums it up.

The altitude training was followed by specific preparations on the two cycling tracks in Amsterdam and Apeldoorn: “In the last two weeks I have only trained on the track. We train four days a week on the track, mostly in the morning from 9am to 12pm and in the afternoon from 4pm to 6pm. Our Derny rider and the physiotherapists are also there. I did a couple of short rides on the road, but nothing serious.”

“Again, it’s about continuity and consistency,” explains Nick Stöpler. Our Derny rider accompanies the racers on the two tracks with a length of 200 and 250 metres respectively. We measured a good output with Roy. We did some effords that are similar to Scratch and his output was high. I think conditionally he will be there.”

Speed, technique, strategy and experience. Track cycling is demanding, like a chess game. At high speeds in the oval, you can no longer correct. Everything has to be right and well thought out, every move standardised. You have to know how to execute it properly. That also shows in the preparation for World Championships. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for Roy!