Joining Jumbo Visma, Tiesj Benoot is delighted to have the chance to work with Wout Van Aert in the Classics to form a one-two punch with the Belgian, something he could not find during his two years with Team DSM.

The Belgian, who has won the Strade Bianche and finished fifth in the Tour de Flanders, has been an all-around rider in recent years, finishing fifth in the Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Tour de Suisse races.

He will again tackle Tirreno-Adriatico this season, but his main goal is to succeed in the cobbled classics with Van Aert, Mike Tunissen, and newcomer Christophe Laporte.

"In my career, I have often missed out on being part of a team with one of the favorites to win or with a fast player that no one wants to go to the finish," Benoot said in an interview with WielerFlits (opens in new tab).

"I was hoping to do well with Michael Matthews on Team DSM, but after Paris-Nice in the spring when we ran together, we didn't get to race much. And Wout is a step above Matthews."

"I know very well that there are a lot of races that will cost me my chances. But if I find myself in a situation where my path opens up, it will be the biggest opportunity I've ever had. It's up to me to take it."

Benoot noted that in a race like Ghent-Wevelgem, which is flat all the way to the finish, it makes sense for the Classics teams to offer their services to Van Aert. However, in a hard race like the Tour of Flanders, the teams would work together to go as far as possible, especially considering the strength of Quick-Step Alphavinir.

"In the Tour of Flanders, I don't intend to put six riders in front of me with Wout at the wheel. We have to go into the final with as many riders as possible and then compete. Last year, Wout, Christophe and I finished in the top 12. Mike was not there. It's going to broaden the horizons for everyone

"Wout is a leader who can handle it well and we all respect him. I would rather race with him than against him. Everyone can "click" quickly if needed or if the car tells them to. However, last year at Monument, Wout was alone against four Quick Steps. That should never happen again."

Benoot will start his Jumbovisma career at the end of February at the opening weekend of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuhne Brussel Kuhne. He will then travel to Italy for Strade Bianche and Tirreno Adriatico and take on northern classics such as the E3 Saxo Bank Classic, Ghent-Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders, and Ardennes Triple.

During four of these days, he will befriend Van Aert, who roomed with him at the Tokyo Olympics. After hearing how Jumbo Visma worked, Benoot was attracted to him, but this did not mean that Van Art recruited Benoot from DSM.

"Then I went to Switzerland for a training camp. That's when it hit me. At the time I didn't think there was any chance of a transfer. I called him before I made my decision because I wanted to make sure he supported the transfer, but it was more than a confirmation.

Benoot said he left DSM before his contract expired because their visions were "too far apart," noting that it is difficult to agree on a path forward when both sides are so adamant about what they want to do.

He said that so far at Jumbo Visma he has been able to confirm that the way the team works is what he had in mind, and that things are done differently than in the DSM.

"It was mainly a confirmation of what I knew before. I'm confident that the team will bring out the best in me as a rider," Benoot said. I can say that I got the most out of my career by riding here for a few years.

"It's not about the financial aspect, it's about the coaching. Every detail is taken care of here. The nutrition program is complete, and you can consult with world-class experts in all areas. It's done differently here [than in the DSM]."