The Nokere Koerse - Danilith Classic will be Team Stölting Service Group's second Flemish classic this spring and kicks off a “Belgian week” with the team staying together in Belgium for three races.

From the start in Deinze the route leads through East Flanders until it reaches Nokere after 80 km. 8 laps of a 12.3 km circuit follow, dominated by the Nokereberg, a 400 m, 6% cobbled climb to the finish line. In previous years the race most often ended in a sprint up the Nokereberg.

7 riders will line up for Team Stölting Service Group: Alex Kirsch (LUX) and Jonas Tenbrock (GER), having ridden in Croatia last week, are joined by Gerald Ciolek (GER) and a Danish quartet including Michael Carbel, Rasmus Guldhammer, Mads Pedersen and Michael Reihs.

Sports Director Gregor Willwohl values teamwork: “We'll be together for a longer period of time; this should serve as a teambuilding period too. During the week that we stay in Belgium the guys will have time to discuss race situations thoroughly and share their views.”

But Willwohl also wants to get results: “We have good riders for this race,” he says. “For Belgian races you need the right attitude, and of course the weather always plays a role. Gerald can sprint from a reduced group, and his his presence and experience will help the team.”

The Handzame Classic in West Flanders follows on Friday. Starting in Bredene at the North Sea coast, the first 50 km along the coast could lead to some early echelon action. Then the route turns inland, with the next 50 km heading southeast, tackling both cobblestrokes and short, steep climbs on the way. Finally there lie another 50 km to Handzame, where three laps of a 15.7 km circuit will be raced before the finish after 199 km. In recent years, the race was decided in a sprint.

The squad for this race will be the same as that for the Nokere Koerse - Danilith Classic two days earlier.

“We want to show ourselves in the race and will try to be present in the early break. Whoever's there may be able to help the team in the final. We have several cards to play other than Gerald: Mads Pedersen has talent for these races' fight for positions, Alex Kirsch's form is rising, and Rasmus Guldhammer is a simply a great rider. We want to be present in the final.”

Line-up

Michael Carbel (DEN)
Gerald Ciolek (GER)
Rasmus Guldhammer (DEN)
Alex Kirsch (LUX)
Mads Pedersen (DEN)
Michael Reihs (DEN)
Jonas Tenbrock (GER)