After his excellent win on the queen stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Wout Poels is regarded as a dangerous outsider for tomorrow's Amstel Gold Race. Being on the same team as Michal Kwiatkowski, the Dutchman hopes to get the chance to play a free role in the powerful Omega Pharma-Quick Step team.

After suffering career-threatening injuries in a bad crash at the 2012 Tour de France, Wout Poels proved that he is back to his best when he won the queen stage and finished in the top 10 at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. Those performances have elevated to the list of contenders for tomorrow's Amstel Gold Race where he is an obvious dark horse.

Originally, Poels was not set to do his big home races but due to his excellent condition he has changed his schedule.

"The decision was already made ​​before the start of the Tour of the Basque Country," he told Wielerflits. "At first I was afraid that I could not handle the combination with Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Flèche Wallonne, like last year. But because my base is broader than it was back they and I just feel really good, I have put the Amstel Gold Race back on my schedule. I hope I can make a beautiful result.

"For me my stage win proves that I have taken another big step forward compared to 2011. To win a tough stage in a WorldTour race proves that I am doing well and that's also how I feel. My condition is excellent. In the Basque Country I got into my best form but that does not guarantee a top performance in the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday.

"Those two races are held in completely different areas. In the Basque Country, we mainly did longer climbs while in the Amstel we will face short, sharp ascents. In addition to that, everything is just more nervous in the Netherlands. But both terrains suit me. I still prefer to ride longer climbs but the crazy Dutch public makes the Amstel fun to ride."

Poels have never been in contention in his home race but things year he hopes to turn things around.

"It's hard to know the real reason for my failures. Maybe I was just not ready for those races at that point of my career. Let's try to change it this year. I'm going all out for a top result in this 250-kilometer battle."

Poels won't be Omega Pharma-Quick Step leader though. He will be racing alongside Michal Kwiatkowski who finished 4th in the race 12 months ago and arrives fresh from a second place in the Basque Country.

"He is a factor you have to deal with," Poels said. "His presence can play both to my advantage and my disadvantage. If you're in such a good team as Omega Pharma-Quick Step, you know it in advance. I expect to have a free role, but if Kwiatkowski needs me at the end, I do not hesitate to help him.

"The best would be to simply wait for the last climb of the Cauberg and then with Kwiatkowski see what we are worth against the biggest favorites like Philippe Gilbert, Alejandro Valverde, Simon Gerrans and Joaquim Rodriguez. First I have to wait for the team meeting on Saturday. There it will be more clear to me how we will divide the tasks within the team."

Poels will do the full Ardennes classics schedule and so will do Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege after the Dutch race. He expects to perform even better in the Belgian races.

"These are races that should suit me better than the Amstel Gold Race because they are harder," he said. "In particular I hope for a top performance on the very steep Mur de Huy. I think it is a very nice climb at the end of a very good race. At the end of the week I will be satisfied if I am at my best both there and at Amstel."