The Team LottoNL-Jumbo-riders came out of the AMGEN Tour of California with a good feeling on Sunday. Tom Van Asbroeck finished fifth on the last day of the stage race and Robert Gesink remained fifth in the general classification. That classification was won by Peter Sagan (Tinkoff – Saxo Bank), Mark Cavendish (Etixx – Quick Step) won the final stage.

“We’re on the right track as a team,” Sports Director Erik Dekker said after the last stage in the west of the United States. “We’ve grown on several levels. We were happy with Tom Van Asbroeck’s sprint today. The confidence we gave him as a team is helping him. After his crashes, he lost the way he used to ride. Now he dares to do what he always did, and that brought him a fifth place today.”

Dekker was also delighted about Robert Gesink’s result.

“His performance gives us hope," he said. “After Romandie, we had a good feeling and he proved here that he already made the next step. Robert is on his way back.”

Gesink is glad with his results in the AMGEN Tour of California too.

“I leave this place with a good feeling”, Gesink said. “It was good to participate in the fight for a good general classification again. After this, I’m ready for the ‘real work’. I’m going on a training camp at altitude, now. I will work hard for the next weeks to take the final step. After this, I want to be back at my old level. We’ve been in a process this week with the guys. It’s a motivated group of riders, which is able to fight as a team. I’m looking forward with confidence.”

Team LottoNL-Jumbo is improving even on the equipment level.

“We saw the effect of the new time trial bike this week," Erik Dekker said. “We’ve been working hard, together with Bianchi and the team believes in the bikes. The Aquila is good and fast. Jos van Emden’s second place in the time trial and Robert’s good result proved that.”