After his very aggressive performance on the opening day, Wilco Kelderman (Belkin) stayed calm in the bunch in today's second stage of the Volta a Catalunya. The in-form Dutchman is now ready for his first big mountain challenge and he is inspired by the prospect of going up against the top 4 from last year's Tour de France.

 

Wilco Kelderman placed 15th today in the Volta a Catalunya’s second stage, which Luka Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) won in a bunch sprint. The GC rider of the Belkin Pro Cycling Team endured the wet Catalonian roads around the finish town in Girona and said that he looks forward to tomorrow’s uphill finish. 

“The rain was brutal in the final 50 kilometres and especially in the last kilometres it was pretty dangerous with all the roundabouts. Steven Kruijswijk and I were right at the front, though, and that helped a lot,” said Kelderman. 

“Until now, everything is going to plan. I’m riding with some different team-mates than the ones I had in Paris-Nice but we’re doing well together.” 

 

The peloton climbs to its first summit finish of the week tomorrow. On La Molina, the GC riders will face their first real battle of this year’s Volta a Catalunya. Kelderman said that he is looking forward to Molina. 

“I’m in a good shape,” said the young Dutchman. “The climbs here are longer than in Paris-Nice, and I like that. The strong field here motivates me, as well. I expect a lot of control and a high pace at the start of tomorrow’s final climb. Riders will attack, and I hope I can go along way with the big guys.” 

 

Sports Director Frans Maassen expects the weather to worsen in the coming days.

 

“But that could be an opportunity for us,” he said. “Anyone could succumb to cold. Normally, Wilco handles it pretty well. We’re going to help him as much as possible and then, in the man-to-man-battles uphill, it’s up to him. As a team we will give our all.”

 

You can read our preview of stage three here and follow our live coverage at 15.15 CET on CyclingQuotes.com/live.