This week Lotto Belisol isn’t only active in Spain for the 68th Vuelta, but on two other fronts as well. Friday and Saturday the second edition of the World Ports Classic will take place.

This two days race, part of the Europe Tour, consists of two stages: Antwerp – Rotterdam and Rotterdam – Antwerp. Last year it was the opposite sequence between the two harbour cities. This young race is suited for sprinters which explains why Lotto-Belisol selected André Greipel as the leader of the squad for this race. Also Kenny Dehaes is one of the eight riders in the team.

Stage one, 165 kilometres long, leaves from Antwerp through the northeast in the direction of the Netherlands. On the route are four cobblestone sections. The third one, named Langeweg, is also the longest: 1840 metres. The distance of the second stage is 191 kilometres and goes along the coast of Zeeland in the west. That means the riders will have to be alert to the danger of echelons. Apart from a cobblestone zone of 2300 meters there are no obstacles on the course itself.

On Sunday 1st of September the Grand Prix de Plouay is marked on the WorldTour calendar. That’s where the World Championships of 2000 were ridden. The race consists of nine laps of 27 kilometres. There are two hills on the course. First of all there’s the Côte du Lezot and four kilometres from the finish line the Côte de Ty-Marrec. Lotto-Belisol will be placing their aspirations in this race on the shoulders of Jürgen Roelandts and Tim Wellens.

Lotto-Belisol line-up for World Ports Classic:

Lars Bak, Stig Broeckx, Jens Debusschere, Kenny Dehaes, André Greipel, Fréderique Robert, Marcel Sieberg and Jonas Van Genechten.

Lotto-Belisol line-up for GP Plouay:

Dirk Bellemakers, Gaëtan Bille, Brian Bulgaç, Sander Cordeel, Gert Dockx, Maarten Neyens, Jürgen Roelandts and Tim Wellens.