Alexander Kristoff is doing a really good start with already four win, three at the Tour of Qatar and one at the Tour of Oman. According to Nieuwsblad, he realizes that his energetic start to the season means he will soon start everywhere as one of the favorites, "Yes, I'm one of the guys who can win in Flanders, but I do not feel the big favorite. I will be better than last year and I would like be able to follow Cancellara, Sagan, Boonen, Van Avermaet or Terpstra."

Kristoff is anyway one of the main challengers of Tom Boonen, the man who once was known as his idol. "Tom could do everything," says Kristoff. "Sprinting, the classic work, won the green jersey, was world champion. He is one of the greatest riders in the history of our sport. He gets older, will not long continue. But he will certainly be in the classics, if only because he has a strong team."

This week, he will race the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne. Before the northern classics, he will race Paris-Nice and Milano-Sanremo.