Trek-Segafredo have reiterated their belief that Fabian Cancellara is a once in a generation rider, but DS Dirk Demol says John Degenkolb can add to his Monument success at the team.

“There will only be one Fabian, that is for sure,” Demol told VeloNews. “No one has the palmares that Fabian has, but we believe John is the kind of rider who can be the next big man for the classics.”

Demol says that after so long, it will be strange to change tactics, as Degenkolb lacks Cancellara’s raw power and wont simply ride away at 60km to go and never be seen again. However, he has a far superior sprint and can win from almost any small group.

“We will race the classics differently than when Fabian was the sole leader of the team,” Demol explained. “John for sure will be our leader for the classics, but the other guys will have a bit more freedom. We will race the spring classics differently.”