Team DSM coach Roy Curvers: “Dwars door het Hageland is a really exciting race with a tough parcours that contains multiple gravel sections. We were second last season here with Nils, who returns this year, and alongside Joris, those two will be protected and supported by a very strong team throughout the day. As can be the case in these kind of races though, being on the offensive often turns into the best defence, so we will approach the race with a plan to ride aggressively so we can play multiple cards as we head towards the finish.”