Sjoerd Bax: Cobbled classics highlight of season so far for UAE Team Emirates

Joining UAE Team Emirates has felt like a long time coming. The journey sort of started two years ago when the team started following me on the back of a strong season in the continental ranks. I was fit and performing really well, but the problem was that I had just signed for another team! That put the brakes on my transfer to UAE Team Emirates for another year, but boy am I glad to be here now.

Being the only rider in the team from the Netherlands, I remember feeling really nervous when I joined. The nerves were swiftly put to bed during the pre-season training camp in Spain, as it allowed the new riders to become familiar with the entire group and coaching staff.

Even after the first team meeting, I remember being surprised that most of the guys had heard of me. They were all extremely down to earth, interested in my journey, and determined to perform well together in the coming weeks and months.

The standard of the training camp was incredibly high. I was used to being one of the best climbers in my previous teams, but I felt I had to push myself to new levels just to compete with our guys.

The cobbled classics have been a real highlight of the season thus far, both personally and for the team. I performed well in Paris-Roubaix, or ‘The Hell of the North’ as it is refereed to.

It certainly lived up to that description. It was a really tough race. I know my capabilities as a rider and have confidence in my abilities, so to finish 13th place and be up there with the big riders was awesome. The atmosphere was amazing and to finish in the velodrome is a once in a lifetime experience I will cherish forever.

On to the Tour of Flanders, which produced one of the most spectacular performances in recent memory from Tadej