There is a tradition of big international names making their way past the track in Ballerup Super Arena in the months when there are otherwise no major cycling races.

Last year Mark Cavendish himself came to the 3-day race, and this year both Iljo Keisse and Niki Terpstra started in the same race.

Now Ekstra Bladet can reveal that another big name is making its way past the boards at Vestegnen, as this year’s winner of Paris-Roubaix, Dylan van Baarle, will start at the New Year’s meeting on December 28, where he will take part in the 100 kilometer long pair race.

Bjarne Kratholm, chairman of DBC Ballerup, is of course very pleased that the INEOS Grenadiers star will start:

– It is fantastic that we can present a world star like Dylan van Baarle at our New Year’s meeting. Paris-Roubaix is ​​the world’s biggest one-day race, and the fact that we can get the defending winner to Ballerup is a huge thing. We hope for great support from the audience and a day of celebration on 28 December.

In addition to racing in Ballerup, Van Baarle will also compete in the Grand Prix Odense on Funen on 29 December.

In battle against Danish Olympic heroes
The 30-year-old Dutchman, who will switch to Jonas Vingegaard’s team Jumbo-Visma next year, will line up together with track star Yoeri Havik, who is world champion in the points race and former European champion in the pair race discipline.

Among other things, the two will go up against the Danish Olympic champion pair Michael Mørkøv and Lasse Norman Hansen, who will also start.

It is the first time since 2019 that the race has taken place, as Covid-19 has put a damper on the latest editions. However, everything indicates that the race will return with style and a great list of participants.

In addition to the victory in Paris-Roubaix, Dylan van Baarle also managed to finish second in the Tour of Flanders in 2022, just as he beat Michael Valgren in the battle for World Championship silver on the road last year.

It is thus a capable gentleman who crosses blades with Mørkøv and Norman Hansen on December 28 in Ballerup.