CyclingQuotes.com uses cookies for statistics and targeting ads. This information is shared with third parties.
ACCEPT COOKIES » MORE INFO »

Every day we bring you more pro-cycling news

Martijn Verschoor of Team Novo Nordisk took time out of his busy week to write a blog about his experiences at the 2016 Milan-San Remo, the season's first Monument.

MILANO - SANREMO

RACE PROFILE
|
NEWS

TEAM NOVO NORDISK

TEAM PROFILE
|
NEWS
20.03.2016 @ 18:06 Posted by Joseph Doherty

Following on from an interview last month with Team Novo Nordisk’s Martijn Verschoor, CyclingQuotes are following the Dutchman from the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team very closely. He has written a blog for CyclingQuotes about his participation as part of Team Novo Nordisk’s second appearance at Milan-San Remo.

 

Martijn first rode La Primavera in 2012 with a previous incarnation of Team Novo Nordisk: Team Type 1. He failed to finish that day and has vowed to finish this race in his career. Last season, he was due to start for Team Novo Nordisk but had to pull out on the morning of the race due to a crash from the previous week’s Ronde van Drenthe. Now Martijn takes you through his build up to the race in his blog.

 

Pre-Race

 

Looking at the Monuments, this is the biggest race. When I go training around here, every day it is full of cyclists trying to relive this race. Everyone in the world knows this race. 

 

It will be important for me to finish this year. This is a Monument and this year the weather will be great.

 

As for the team, I think a breakaway is what we need to aim for. This race is hard; it is really hard. The best riders start here, the strongest riders. It is history here. Italy knows how to make cycling romantic and that’s what makes this race so special.

 

The one thing I know for sure about Milan-San Remo, when you aren’t riding together, you are all riding in last position. Without a team effort, you aren’t able to go in the front. This race is all about teamwork. 

 

Before this season, the riders looked to Javi (Megias) and I for advice. We might be some of the older riders on the team, but at this point, our roster for this race has experience. They know what they are doing.

 

Heading into the race, it was easy training to recover from Drenthe for Milan-San Remo. I came down here right after Drenthe and then have done easy training all together with my teammates this week leading into Milan-San Remo.

 

My training, prep and everything are different from last year. This year is better because last year I was injured and ended up having to pull out right before the start due to a bad crash I had at Drenthe.

 

My form is okay but the results aren’t there yet this season. We haven’t gotten a break. We need luck. Every race we have either had terrible weather, mechanical issues, something. Always something. We are ready to catch a bit of a break.

 

Martijn and his teammates had a tough day in the saddle, but Martijn was determined to finish and did so, in 153rd place. Team Novo Nordisk had a great race, putting Andrea Peron in the break and David Lozano managed to finish within the top 100. Here is what Martijn had to say after he had achieved his goal:

 

Post-Race

 

Everything was better than last year because I got to start this year. Last year, I had to pull out right before the start because of a lingering crash from Drenthe the weekend before. This year, there was good weather and throughout the beginning and middle of the race, we were all together and racing towards the front. As a team, we raced better.

 

When the little climbs started, Javi (Megias) crashed and we had some bad luck. It's okay, it's important that I finished. Last time I raced here, the course was different and it had a different climb. That is where I pulled out, so it made a difference getting to the finish line.

 

I’m happy I finished but I’m also really happy that we had Andrea (Peron) in the break. We almost got two riders in the break, but one is good. Getting a rider into the break at Milan-San Remo is huge, especially for a team like ours where visibility is so important. 

My favorite part of the day was when we got Andrea in the break. We rode together from the start. Then my next favorite part is when I finished. The team did a good job today.

 

I think the toughest part for me was staying focused all day. From the beginning, but especially towards the end, all riders wanted to fight for position and that's why there were so many crashes. It made things chaotic and crazy towards the end.

 

Now that I Milan-San Remo is finished, I’m focusing on the next parts of my season. This year, I’m really focused on earning some podiums and really going for results.

 

CyclingQuotes would like to thank Martijn Verschoor and Team Novo Nordisk for taking time out of his busy schedule at Milan-San Remo to write this blog for us and we wish him and his team all the best for the rest of the season.

 

MORE NEWS:

VIEW SELECTED

Bycykling 101: Navigering i byens gader og cykelvenlige... 27.11.2023 @ 12:11The Best Danish Cyclist To Bet On At 2022 Tour De France 13.01.2022 @ 15:262022 Upcoming Tournament Overview 03.01.2022 @ 09:45Best Place to Find Stand-Up Paddleboards 16.06.2021 @ 08:16What are Primoz Roglic’s Chances to Win 2021 Tour de Fr... 17.03.2021 @ 08:37Amazing victory by young champion Sarah Gigante 04.02.2021 @ 14:21Three reasons why cycling is one of the best ways to ex... 28.09.2020 @ 12:03Why do businesses use meeting room managers? 14.09.2020 @ 13:42Five things that you can do, if you want to gain more f... 20.08.2020 @ 15:38One for the road 09.06.2020 @ 15:25List of CyclingQuotes previews 07.05.2020 @ 13:20Blue Energy: room for all interests 26.08.2019 @ 12:56Get your daily dose of exercise at home 08.07.2019 @ 10:443 good advice to be able to afford your favorite bike 25.02.2019 @ 12:32Cycle through gorgeous landscapes 22.10.2018 @ 21:41Balance Your Economy and Diet and Start Saving Money 08.10.2018 @ 11:18Stay Safe: 3 Helmets That Can Keep Your Head Protected... 20.07.2018 @ 07:59Planning to bet on Tour De France - Bet types and strat... 24.05.2018 @ 14:18Basics of cycling betting 25.10.2017 @ 13:10Bauer moves to ORICA-SCOTT 28.08.2017 @ 10:45End of the road for CyclingQuotes 08.01.2017 @ 16:00Rui Costa confirms Giro participation 07.01.2017 @ 12:55Van Avermaet: I am not afraid of Sagan 07.01.2017 @ 09:45Unchanged course for E3 Harelbeke 07.01.2017 @ 09:32Jenner takes surprise win at Australian U23 Championships 07.01.2017 @ 08:53No replacement for Meersman at Fortuneo-Vital Concept 06.01.2017 @ 19:14Barguil with two goals in 2017 06.01.2017 @ 19:06More details about French Vuelta start emerges 06.01.2017 @ 14:16Kristoff to start season at Etoile de Besseges 06.01.2017 @ 14:10Ion Izagirre announces schedule for first year at Bahrain 06.01.2017 @ 12:40JLT Condor optimistic for Herald Sun Tour 06.01.2017 @ 09:19Haas leads Dimension Data trio in fight for Australian... 06.01.2017 @ 09:15Sagan spearheads Bora-hansgrohe at Tour Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:12Henao and Thomas lead Sky Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:09Bauer crowned New Zealand TT champion 06.01.2017 @ 08:33Van der Poel ready to defend Dutch title 05.01.2017 @ 21:00Pantano ambitious for first Tour with Trek 05.01.2017 @ 20:41Landa with new approach to the Giro 05.01.2017 @ 20:36Sunweb Development Team sign Goos and Zepuntke 05.01.2017 @ 20:27Dumoulin confirms Giro participation 05.01.2017 @ 20:19Bauer targets victories in Quick-Step debut 05.01.2017 @ 20:16Gaviria and Boonen lead Quick-Step in San Juan 05.01.2017 @ 20:13Team Sunweb presented in Germany 05.01.2017 @ 20:09ASO take over major German WorldTour race 05.01.2017 @ 11:01Team Sunweb unveil new jersey 05.01.2017 @ 10:54Reactions from the Australian TT Championships 05.01.2017 @ 08:27Dennis defends Australian TT title 05.01.2017 @ 08:21Scotson takes back to back U23 TT titles in Australia 05.01.2017 @ 08:15Utrecht on track to host 2020 Vuelta 04.01.2017 @ 18:28Pre-season setback for Talansky 04.01.2017 @ 17:56Kristoff: It's not impossible for me to win in Rou... 04.01.2017 @ 17:49Boom close to first cyclo-cross win in LottoNL debut 04.01.2017 @ 17:40UAE Abu Dhabi make late signing of Arab rider 04.01.2017 @ 17:36UAE Abu Dhabi unveil new jersey 04.01.2017 @ 17:30BMC unveil race schedule 04.01.2017 @ 17:21

Currently no news in this list

Ryan KAMP
24 years | today
Liliana UZCATEGUI
40 years | today
Louise SCUPHAM
27 years | today
Shenghao SUN
19 years | today
Nicolas CLEPPE
29 years | today

© CyclingQuotes.com