Team LottoNL-Jumbo plans to get the Dutch public ready for the Tour de France start in Utrecht with good results in next week’s Ster ZLM Toer.

“We’re looking forward to racing in front of our home crowd,” Maarten Tjallingii said. "We want the get the people in the mood for the Tour de France.”

The experienced Tjallingii will assist Moreno Hofland in the sprint stages, but also has ambitions of his own.

“I’ve recovered well from the Giro,” the 37-year-old said. “Training rides still go with ups and downs, but in the race I’ll pull through, that’s going to be fine. I want to get back into my rhythm in Rund um Köln after which I hope to keep going in the Ster ZLM Toer.”
 

Tjallingii knows the importance of a good start.

“The prologue is crucial when you want to get involved in the overall. The new time trial bike from Bianchi gives me moral. The course in Goes is twisty, which suits me. There’s no better way to confirm that you’re in a good shape than with a result,” said Tjallingii, who won three of his four professional wins in Dutch-Belgian stage races.  The Dutchman finished in the top 20 of a Ster ZLM prologue on three occasions.
 

Erik Dekker agrees with Tjallingii.

“We want to score in the prologue with multiple riders. With a good start, we are halfway there, especially in the Ster ZLM Toer. Rick Flens, Martijn Keizer, Robert Wagner and Maarten are all specialists.”

In the sprints stages, Dekker wants to get involved with Moreno Hofland.

“We certainly want to grab some bonus seconds for the overall. For us, and especially for Moreno, the Ster ZLM Toer is very important in the run-up to the national championships.”

Team line-up:
Rick Flens, Moreno Hofland, Martijn Keizer, Barry Markus, Timo Roosen, Maarten Tjallingii, Robert Wagner & Dennis van Winden.