After a good 2015 season, Lotto Soudal expects André Greipel to give the team more wins in 2015. Sporza spoke to the German about his expectations. "If anyone is willing to do his job in the sprint, we will always compete for the wins."
With 16 victories in 2015, including four stages in the Tour de France and one in the Giro, André Greipel had a fantastic year. This season the German Lotto-Soudal wants to do at least as well.
"We really have a good team this year," Greipel told Sporza. "Newcomers like Rafael Valls and Jelle Wallays have yet to find their place within the team, but we have so much talent.
"Personally, I'm still very satisfied at Lotto Soudal. I think I still have an impact on this team. There is a good atmosphere among the riders and the staff and together we can achieve a lot this season. If everyone is ready to do his job in the sprint, we will always compete for the wins.
The German is clear when it comes to his personal ambitions. "I hope I'm to have good form in April and I can obtain a good result in the spring classics.
"To win a stage in the Giro and the Tour would also be nice. Furthermore, I have red-circled a race in,” he said, referring to the World Championships in Qatar.
In his sprint train, Greipel relies primarily on compatriot Marcel Sieberg. "We call him The Lighthouse because everyone can see him when he is in the lead. He makes the right decisions at the right moments, something that can make the difference between winning and losing."
There are a few changes in the peloton. Greipel’s rival Mark Cavendish left Etixx-QuickStep and Kristoff has to do without Luca Paolini.
"That Mark Cavendish will have less support at Team Dimension Data than at Etixx will not have such a big influence on his way of sprinting," said Greipel.
"He has a lot of class and positions himself very good. You should certainly not underestimate the qualities of Mark Renshaw and Bernhard Eisel.”
Greipel also takes Marcel Kittel into account:. "Marcel is a rider with a lot of character and he will have the support of his team. I definitely expect him to be there in the sprints."
Finally, there's Alexander Kristoff. The big winner from last season will have to do without his suspended teammate Luca Paolini. "He improves every year," Greipel said. "He has a very good team around him, even without Paolini."
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