During the Mallorca training camp earlier this month, the Lotto Soudal captain took the time to talk to the media, outlining their ambitions for 2016. The team have gathered some quotes in a press release.

Tiesj Benoot: 

“The expectations are higher now because of my performances this year and I have the ambition to live up to certain of those expectations. I can handle that. On the other hand, I am realistic as well and realize that I am only 21. The team supports me 100 per cent and keeps the pressure away from me. I look at it race by race and I just try to take a step forward. I would have loved to ride a Grand Tour in 2016, but together with my trainer I decided not to. I will probably add Milan-Sanremo and the Amstel Gold Race to my race programme.”

Kris Boeckmans: 

“It’s a surprise that I am here on training camp and even more that I was able to ride the bike a few times for two to three hours. It’s a cliché, but a good health is all I wish for 2016. It’s very difficult to tell when I can make a comeback in the peloton. First, I was told it would already be great if I could ride at least one race in 2016, then it changed to a race during the summer. We look at it day by day, because I am warned a setback is still possible.”

Tony Gallopin: 

“I am pretty satisfied about previous season. I did really well in Paris-Nice and I achieved a top ten in five one-day races of the highest category: Milan-Sanremo, Amstel Gold Race, GP de Québec, the World Championships and Il Lombardia. In 2016 I hope to animate the races again. Paris-Nice will be my first goal, then I’ll ride the Walloon classics and the Dauphiné will be my final preparation for the Tour.”

André Greipel: 

“2015 was a very successful year. Everyone asks if I can repeat it in 2016, but that won’t be easy. I won sixteen times, of which four Tour stages and one Giro stage. I also won other WorldTour races and especially my victory at the Vattenfall Cyclassics was unique. My race programme for 2016 will almost be identical to 2015. First, I’ll ride Paris-Nice, then the classics, Giro and Tour and at the end of the season I hope to go to the World Championships as leader of the German team and will try to conquer that rainbow jersey.”

Adam Hansen: 

“I’m proud that I set the record of completing thirteen Grand Tours in a row. I’d like to continue on that path in 2016. Although you never know what comes. An injury or bad luck can always put an end to it. Still, I hope to add a few more Grand Tours. I have a different role in each Grand Tour. I already won a stage in the Giro and Vuelta and hope to once win a Tour stage.”

Jürgen Roelandts:

“I give myself 7/10 for the past season. I did well during the spring, but didn’t get a top result. I was eleventh in Milan-Sanremo, seventh at the E3 and Ghent-Wevelgem, eighth in the Tour of Flanders and 21st in Paris-Roubaix where I rode solo in front until Carrefour de l’Arbre. Good results, but no top result. I hope it will be different in 2016. My last victory dates back to La Méditerranéenne in 2013, I hope to change that. I don’t see Tiesj Benoot as an opponent, we can only benefit when we enter the finale with two and I really wish him a first pro victory.”

Tim Wellens: 

“I learned a lot in 2015, maybe even more than during the years that all went well. For the first time I had some negative experiences. The Tour de France didn’t go as hoped; luckily I still had a good season thanks to my stage win and overall win at the Eneco Tour and my victory at GP de Montréal. In 2016 I will do it more like in 2014: be as good as possible at the Walloon classics and then ride the Giro. And I hope to stand at the start of the Olympic road race in Rio next summer in the best possible condition.”