Team LottoNL-Jumbo signed the 22 year old Dutchman over the winter partly thanks to the fans who backed our ‘Support a Young Rider-project.’ During Roosen’s first year, he will update his loyal fans about his experiences on and off the bicycle with a monthly diary. This month we present you part 3: Timo suffers.

“My European season started at the end of February in France, with the Classic Sud Ardèche and La Drome Classic – two races of about 200 kilometres each. After the Tour Down Under, in January, it was good to ride both races as a fresh start.

“However, it wasn’t easy. The pace was high right from the start in the Ardèche, and most of the team was hindered by a crash. In La Drome, we were hampered by bad weather. I could barely close my rain jacket due to my cold fingers. I had to remain concentrated during the race because of the awful road and all the corners. When you have cold hands, you need to be careful that they don’t slip off the brake levers. In the end, I was just very happy to get all those kilometres under my belt.

“Last weekend, the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen was on my racing schedule. The race started with a prologue, which is normally a good thing for me, but, unfortunately, this straightforward course didn’t really suit me. It ran over the boulevard in Middelkerk, from north to south and back. First with a head-wind, and on the way back with a tail-wind. I prefer corners and hills. On a course like that, it comes down to short sprints. In Middelkerke, it was all about power on those two long straights. That was an advantage for the experienced pros with bigger engines.

“The other two stages were quite tough. During the second, we needed to tackle the Oude Kwaremont. That was chaotic! In the run-up to the climb, everybody was trying to get to the front. I was a bit scared, but it was nice to see that we were able to hold on to our position with the team. Eventually, we were where we needed to be.

“I really suffered during the final stage. The roads on the finishing circuit were narrow and the wind came from the side. I just kept looking to the rear wheel of the rider in front of me. ‘Don’t let it go,’ I thought. In the finale, the pace kicked up another notch. I still get tired when I think about it. 

“Suffering is only normal as a first year professional. The level at the pros is simply much higher than I was used to last year. The idea that others are having a hard time as well keeps me going, though. I always say to myself, ‘Come on, keep going! After that corner you can rest.’ Usually, this isn’t the case though, but by fooling yourself, you can hold on a bit longer. When people come to a race to see me, I don’t want to disappoint them, but the real motivation comes from myself. Above all, I want to show that I’m a good cyclist.

“I have talked a lot with my trainer Mathieu Heijboer and my personal coach Erik Dekker. With Mathieu, I analyze my training efforts. With Erik, I talk about racing and life as a pro. He already helped me out with many details and he is happy to see that I’m motivated.

“Over the next period, I’ll be riding some small races. I have somewhat of a free role in those races. After that, I’ll head to the Tour of Catalunya to ride in service of the leaders of the team. I’m looking forward to that; to deliver as a domestique. I like to pilot the peloton, help my teammates and make others suffer. That gives me motivation. See you next time!”