“Heartbroken” was the phrase Charlotte Kool used to convey her reactions to pulling out of the Workforce dsm-firmenich PostNL begin record for this week’s UAE Tour Girls. The staff confirmed that Kool wouldn’t participate within the Girls’s WorldTour stage race because of sickness.
The Dutch sprinter mentioned she was wanting ahead to exhibiting her “winter enhancements” on repeat look on the UAE Tour Girls, the place last 12 months on the inaugural occasion she gained two levels and got here away with the factors classification title.
“It’s emotional, a tough choice as I educated for months in the direction of this primary objective of the season,” Kool posted to her social channels. “I all the time attempt my greatest to keep away from getting sick, and be the very best model of myself on a regular basis, however sadly I failed on this. For now it’s well being clever the very best choice. First second to point out my ‘winter enhancements’ is gone, however we come again stronger as all the time.”
This 12 months seemed to have an analogous setup with three flat levels throughout the 4 days and groups to showcase lead-out trains and dash stars, together with a head-to-head rematch of Kool towards Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx). Each had three podiums final 12 months, Kool taking a pair of wins to only one for Wiebes.
The four-day race begins February 8 in Dubai and concludes February 12 at Abu Dhabi. Workforce dsm-firmenich PostNL will now discipline 5 riders – Rachele Barbieri, Pfeiffer Georgi, Daniel Hengeveld, Becky Storrie and Elise Uijen.
“With Charlotte out of the race because of illness, we’ll take a extra opportunistic method to the three dash possibilities accessible at UAE Tour and nonetheless proceed our deal with doing lead out in these moments. There are alternatives the place the wind can play a giant function, so we need to be sharp all day, with good teamwork,” mentioned staff coach Albert Timmer.
“For the mountain prime end on Jebel Hafeet we’ll take care of Pfeiffer, Becky, and Elise as our playing cards to play for the ultimate climb.”
The climb to Jebel Hafeet ought to once more play a decisive issue within the general, as final 12 months Elisa Longo Borghini climbed within the GC lead with the stage 3 win, with Lidl-Trek teammate Gaia Realini ending second on the stage within the last standings.
Kool accomplished a staff camp in Calpe in late January. With then spring Classics shut at hand, her first begin of 2024 might now be at Omloop van het Hageland and Le Samyn des Dames.
