Wilco Kelderman became the new Dutch champion in the individual time trial on Wednesday. The talented rider from Amersfoort finished the 54.8 kilometres ahead of LottoNL-Jumbo team-mates Rick Flens and Jos van Emden, a full LottoNL-Jumbo podium.

“I never expected this result,” Kelderman said after his victory. “Tom Dumoulin (Team Giant – Alpecin) was the man to beat and it was going to be very difficult to be faster than him. But everything came together today. We’re riding on a very good Bianchi Aquila and Mathieu Heijboer especially put a lot of time in developing our time trial. That’s why we believed in our chances to finish in the top three. This result is superb.”

Rick Flens was confident about his chances as well.

“We have a new bike and I’m feeling great on it,” he added. “It’s been running quite smoothly for a while now and today, I finally got some reward for it. After everything I did for the team, it was time to ride for myself. That’s why I wanted to make it in the top three so badly. I heard that it was going to be close so I gave everything I had. Fortunately, I was able to hold that pace. I made the difference in the last ten kilometres.”
 

“This is good for the team,” Jos van Emden, number three, said. “We are back on the top because our new bike is magnificent. Last year, I finished third too, but it was a very different race, especially mentally. Today, I knew that I was going to fight for the highest places and I was even the fastest after 40 kilometres. I collapsed in the last 15 kilometres unfortunately. I went very fast today, but I wasn’t able to hold my pace as good as Wilco and Rick did.”

Mathieu Heijboer’s help in developing the team for the time trial is important.

“It’s not my job, every one put a lot of time in it,” he said after the championship. “I boosted the project. I love the race against the clock and it hurt me that the development of it was stuck. The introduction of the Bianchi Aquila was an important step, but we had to fine-tune everything. We did that in cooperation with Bianchi and AeroPro. That delivered us a beautiful result.”
 

Because of his victory, Kelderman is able to start the opening time trial of the Tour de France in Utrecht in the red, white and blue jersey of the Dutch champion.

“That is going to be fantastic, of course,” he said happily. “It’s always special to put on a champion’s jersey. This is my first national title with the professionals and that feels even better.”