After a very successful cobbled classics campaign, Giant-Shimano turn their attentions to the Ardennes classics. With Simon Geschke, Dries Devenyns and Tom Dumoulin, the team is aiming for a top 10 at the Amstel Gold Race while Geschke and Devenyns will lead the team in tomorrow's Brabantse Pijl.

Simon Geschke returns to this race after taking fifth here in 2013. He comes to this rolling classic following a testing week of racing at the tough Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco.

He is joined by Dries Devenyns who has played a large part in Team Giant-Shimano's successful spring classics campaign so far including being one of the key protagonists at Ronde van Vlaanderen where he eventually finished 14th.

Devenyns did not race Paris - Roubaix, recovering before these hillier classics and he and the team now start a new campaign here. The 200km route from Leuven to Overijse sees the riders take in 25 climbs and favours the brave.

"Brabantse Pijl is an open race for us with a few cards to play," said Team Giant-Shimano coach Rudi Kemna.

"We have riders like Dries, Simon and Thomas Damuseau who will be aiming to be there for the final, and looking to go on the attack on the difficult finish coming into Overijse."

The will also be a good test for some of the guys before Amstel Gold Race on Sunday and also an opportunity for a rider such as Sea Keong Loh to learn and develop in the WorldTour.

Much like Brabantse Pijl in the week, Amstel Gold favours the punchy, attacking riders who can both sprint and climb as the race route is anything but flat.

The constant rolling roads over the 251km course totals over 4000m of climbing, with 33 hills to tackle including two ascents of the Cauberg. The second and final ascent of this infamous climb sees the riders that are left at the front of the race push through the crowds to take the final left hand bend at the top and race to the finish.

In last year's edition, Simon Geschke was the team's highest finisher in 18th position, having arrived at the bottom of the Cauberg with the leaders, and this year the team is aiming higher.

"After a successful campaign in Flanders and on the cobbles including two victories we now head to the Ardennes classics and for Amstel Gold Race we are aiming for a top 10, something we haven't achieved here before," said coach Aike Visbeek.

"The team leaders for this race will be Dries Devenyns, Tom Dumoulin and Simon, with Tom riding through his home roads. With Dries and Tom we have an offensive focus for the final and then Simon is capable of moving with the strong riders on the final sprint up the Cauberg.

"Together with Roy Curvers as captain, and strong support, we will focus on positioning before the important climbs to save energy for an offensive final where we are more focused on a result this year than before here."

Giant-Shimano for Brabantse Pijl

Roy Curvers (NED)
Thomas Damuseau (FRA)
Dries Devenyns (BEL)
Johannes Frölinger (GER)
Simon Geschke (GER)
Thierry Hupond (FRA)
Cheng Ji (CHN)
Sea Keong Loh (MAL)

Giant-Shimano for Amstel Gold Race

Roy Curvers (NED)
Dries Devenyns (BEL)
Tom Dumoulin (NED)
Simon Geschke (GER)
Thierry Hupond (FRA)
Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (RSA)
Koen De Kort (NED)
Albert Timmer (NED)