ERIK TEN HAG has been tapping into the expertise of the man who masterminded last year's Tour de France triumph for Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard.
Ten Hag is close friends with Merijn Zeeman, the director of crack Dutch cycling team Jumbo Visma.
Zeeman, whose riders are once again expected to feature heavily at the front of this year's Tour, revealed before yesterday's Grand Depart in Bilbao that he has been giving the United manager advice on how to get the best out of his players.
The pair first became friends when Ten Hag was coach of Dutch giants Ajax. The Old Trafford boss is a stickler for detail and a believer in the benefit of small gains.
Zeeman, who still plays amateur football at the age of 44, revealed: "Erik recognised that in successful teams in football and cycling there is a lot of overlap.
Denne historien er fra July 02, 2023-utgaven av The Sunday Mirror.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 02, 2023-utgaven av The Sunday Mirror.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THIS SHOWS PEP HE NEEDS A LOT MORE UP FRONT IN LONG HAAL...
MANCHESTER CITY'S backline will receive the flak but their forwards are worthy of the blame.
MADCLAREN
Lando will come back stronger, but my old team will be kicking themselves ...they could have won it this year
It's a prison camp
Calm gardens, privacy pods and different way to do bird
Nicola: I love WAG drama
Hopes for Coleen on I'm A Celeb
TWO MORE WOMEN SET TO SUE GLITTER
Pop paedo 'depressed\" as legal claims mount
Olympic dispirit
Fortnums shubs Paralympians at party for Team GB's success
CHEAP THRILLS
Forming orderly queue is better than sex, says poll
Ruth lawyers build timeline on Eamonn's new romance
'Forensic' study for divorce talks
We'd be a perfect match if you were still Frank
TRANSGENDER Kellie Maloney ended a potential romance when the friend said they would be a perfect match... if she was still Frank.
EU vows to back Kyiv as Trump fears surge
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell promised Ukraine ongoing support yesterday on a visit to Kyiv, as Russia launched 50 drone attacks.