When Mark Cavendish signed with Astana Kazakstan, the Dutch sprinter Cece Boll was a last-minute signing as lead-out man for the Englishman on the Kazakh team. At the recent Tour of Oman, Estonia's Martin Lars was Cavendish's lead-out man.

Bol will be in charge of Cavendish's group sprint at next week's Tour of the UAE and will remain Plan A for the Astana Kazakstan sprint train. However, Lars hopes to return with Cavendish in several undecided races later this year.

Lars, who used to work for Bora-Hansgrohe, said that when he signed with Astana, he had no idea that Cavendish would join him later. However, he said he had no objection to the dramatic change in his job description over the past few months.

"When I signed on, all the rumors said that Mark would normally go to B&B. But I am proud to have Mark on the team to lead and do the best he can. Even if leading and sprinting are two completely different games," Lars noted.

Lars does not intend to be tied to a specific assignment in Astana just because Cavendish has arrived.

"I have different roles in several races. Depending on the race, I may compete as a lead-out for Gleb Silica or Cavendish.

"Basically, I want to help the team as much as possible with lead-outs and support, but I also want to get a chance to race.

Lars gained a lot of experience as a lead-out man with Bora Hansgrohe, winning a stage at the 2021 Arctic Tour of Norway.

He knows that sprinting for the lead and sprinting for the win are two very different things.

"If you're a sprinter, you have to save your energy, save, save, save, and then jump out in the last 200 meters.

"If you are a lead-out man, you need to always think about the sprinters, always think a few steps ahead. Plus, when you go through the peloton, you need to make room for the marks behind you."

"It's not entirely different, but you always have to remember that what's important to you is actually not what's best for you, but what's best for the sprinter. [The more the lead out man and sprinter race together, the more fluid and effective their relationship will be.

"You need to know what he is capable of and who he is. Some riders want to be at the front of the pack, while others want to be at the back.

"Just like in normal life, everyone is different and does things differently.

So far, he and Cavendish have had little opportunity to practice leading out, and after the group sprint in Oman, their next chance is at least a few weeks away.

"Mark and I have only done one training ride before.

"Before, it wasn't possible for me or Mark to train for this role, and now there are no more training camps. Now there are no more training camps.

After signing professionally with French team Delko-Marseille-Provence-KTM, Lars spent two years with Conti' Team Illuminate in the United States, the oldest American racer ever to win the Vuelta a España, He and Chris Horner became teammates in Horner's final season.

"I started cycling when I was 15, and before that I did a lot of other sports.

"Since then, I've grown every year, but I was always good at sprinting, although my pro cycling starts were pretty slow. "

"When I moved to the amateur team, I knew right away that I didn't stand a chance because I always struggled on the climbs. But I knew I could always make a big effort in the 1 to 30 second sections. So I knew I could have a good sprint."

"The first years were really difficult, but I started to find myself again in my third year as a professional (2018), and in these three years I think I've made some pretty big steps forward."

Lars is happy with his 2023 form.

"The general level is good and I can still sprint.

"Obviously, I need to work a little harder on the climbs to get over the mountains, but I'm always making little improvements. So far, my form is good, my base is good. I just lack a little bit of race speed and stuff like that."

Cavendish finished 21st in the sprint at the Tour of Oman, but Lars rode with Cavendish until the last 500m, and Astana Kazakstan management was pleased with the team's lead out.

Astana Kazakstan has a brutally steep sprint learning curve.

"It's always difficult to start in the lead-out and sprint straight into it. But I think it worked out in the end," Raas said.

"I didn't stress out thinking, 'I have to lead out. In fact, it was nice working with Mark."