Set to line-up at the Canadian one-day races coming this weekend, Alexander Kristoff confirmed that he will lead Norwegian team in the World Championships road race on September 28th, joined by Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) and Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Belkin Procycling). Claiming that the Vuelta remains the best build-up towards Worlds, the Katusha sprinter believed he would enter the event in an optimal disposition.

Kristoff enjoyed the best season of his professional career in 2014, winning so far 14 races, including Milano-Sanremo, Tour des Fjordes general classification, two stages at the Tour de France and Vattenfall Cyclassics. The 27-year old Norwegian will be provided with another chance to shine in two Canadian one-day events: Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec and Montreal, and even though courses doesn’t suit the powerful sprinter perfectly, no one should rule out his chances to claim another victory.

The Katusha sprinter will be joined by another great names from professional peloton in likes of Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE), Greg van Avermaet, Tejay van Garderen (BMC), Tony Gallopin (Lotto Belisol), Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida), Bauke Mollema (Belkin) or Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma-QuickStep).

This way, Kristoff will follow a build-up towards World Championships which proved to be so successful for Costa last year. The 27-year old Norwegian claims that participation in the Vuelta a Espana still remains the best way to prepare for Worlds, but in the same time believes that he will line-up at the event in a top form.

"We must play off each other because we don’t have a team to control the race," Kristoff told Cyclingnews.

"That means we have to follow the big teams but it's good that we'll have three guys who can do that. I think with the guys that we have we're capable of making a result but with the results I've had this year I'm the main guy. We don't have the team to control everything so we have to play with what we have."

"I'm the leader but we have open roles. Look at the Olympics where Boasson Hagen as the leader and I ended up getting third. I got in the break and I made the most of my position."

"Historically it's about the Vuelta and the stats aren't wrong, so for sure the Vuelta is the best, but Rui Costa showed last year that it's possible to do it in another way."

"It's difficult to say. A sprinter hasn't won here last year, Gesink won so maybe Montreal is better for me but we'll have to see. The final here is tough but if I can survive here then I'm a strong candidate for the Worlds."