Robert Gesink has had a season to forget. First the Belkin leader had to deal with heart arrhythmia that forced him to undergo surgery. In the Vuelta, his confidence returned but he left the race prematurely. At the moment, his thoughts are mainly with his girlfriend Daisy who is at the hopsital in Zwolle  due to pregnancy complications.

 "The baby is now 27 weeks and should be born in January. That's not like I would have liked ut but that is how it is. Cycling gives me a lot of distractions and new energy," Gesink tells CyclingOnline in an interview

One thing is clear at the presentation of LottoNL-Jumbo in Utrecht: Robert Gesink is pleased with the new sponsors of his Dutch employer but the worries about his girldfriend and child dominate.

"Daisy told me to go but I prefer to be close to her in the neighbourhood. We have postponed our planned move to Spain and this year we won't go on vacation. That is not important as it is now all about the familiy and that everything goes well. I was not set to do the Tour Down Under so for now it has had no influence on my schedule. Of course my private situation keeps me occupied but I can focus on other things on the bike during the workouts. I think that is well-known for many people. You empty your head and get back with new energy."

Gesink refers to the death of his father who crashed on his bike four yeats ago. The 28-year-old is used to setbacks.

"Of course it is not nothing. Even heart surgery is pretty intrusive. But I don't want to focus just on the negative aspects. My performance in the Tour de Pologne and then in the Vuelta a Espana have given me confidence for my future in cycling. I was already good when I returned to the peloton in Poland but in the Vuelta I learned that I could climb with the best like before. I almost won a stage and was on track for a spot in the top 10. That kind of things confirm that I can start in the Tour de France as a leader alongside Wilco Kelderman next year."

He does not want to set a specific goal.

"If anyone had put money on this year's podium, he will have become a rich man. You do not only depend on yourself but also on what happens to others. That can maybe also play a role."

Gesink has studied the course for the Tour and concludes that the first week will be stressful.

"We are quite used to that in the Tour de France but there are lots of stages that will make everybody nervous. The rides along the coast in Zeeland and Western France, the cobbles and the Mur de Huy. In our team, we have often played with the idea of not participating in the front of the peloton every day. You may lose a minute but you also save a lot of energy which you can use later in the race and you minimize the risk of crashing. This year that is not an option. On the cobbles or in Huy, you can lose serious time and so we also need to be in front on all those stages. It is a difficult week. I think I will have to enjoy the opening time trial in Utrecht. On that day I am at least alone on the road."

He keeps the option of also riding the Vuelta open.

"The Vuelta could be a possibility but usually you decide about that after the Tour. An alternative plan is to prepare for the World Championships in Richmond in the Canadian WorldTour races. But that is still far away."

It is no coincidence that Gesink was presented with the Lotto-Jumbo team and decided to stay loyal to the outfit where he has been riding from the beginning of his professional career.

"Of course I had other options. I have quite a nice track record in WorldTour races and during the Vuelta a Espana, the interest grew when they could see that I was can get back to my old level. But I've had a lot of confidence from this team and have also had confidence in the team. I get the chance to start as leader in the Tour which I think is important. I am 28 years old and think I can still make nice things on the bike. I do this in the team where I have always felt comfortable."