They are two of best riders for the grand tours and the Ardennes classics. However, new Trek signing Bauke Mollema and veteran Fränk Schleck do not regard themselves as rivals as they announced in a conference call, according to radsport-news.com

Both emphasized that they will be riding for the strongest rider. "If that is Bauke, then I am the first one to work for him," 34-year-old Schleck said. "It is important that the team has success." However, the Luxembourger also wants to add some kind o result to his palmares. “Last year I was at a high level but I can still improve. Until now, the preparation has gone according to plan.”

Mollema can’t complain about his winter training wither. "I have done more than 1,000 kilometers more than I had at this time last year," said the 28-year-old Dutchman. Schleck and Mollema are expected to be good form already at the Mallorca Challenge and the Vuelta a Andalucía. "With two summit finishes, the Ruta del Sol looks very nice to me this year.”

Then the paths of the two climbers will be separate. While Mollema will do Tirreno-Adriatico, Paris-Nice will be the final test for Schleck ahead of the Ardennes classics that are the big spring goals for both. "In the Ardennes, I have always been going well. I have my eyes on Liege-Bastogne-Liege, my favorite one-day race m" Schleck said. After a break, both will start the Tour de France preparation but the exact schedule has not been made.

For Schleck, it will be a new experience not to have his brother Andy at his side. “Everyone on the team misses Andy. It's really hard for me, he is my brother and my best friend. But cycling goes on for me, I still have a lot of fun,” said Schleck who has welcomed Mollema as a new teammate.

After seven years at Rabobank and Belkin, the Dutchman looked for a new challenge and found it at the US team. Mollema wouldn’t confirm that he had chosen the team because he had been promised a leadership role in the grand tours. “That was not the main reason. I like the way in which the team works, how they approach the races. From the first moment, I have been feeling very good here.”

Mollema wants to improve his climbing at the new team but also wants to learn a few things from Fabian Cancellara and the other time trial specialists. Ultimately, he wants to shine in the Tour de France. “I hope to finish on the podium in the future. I think that it is possible. I am 8 years old, the best cycling years are still ahead of me,” he said.

In any case, the expectations are big. “But I like to have pressure. That’s the reason I have achieved my best results in the big races. It is also nice that the team has such great confidence in me and trusts me to obtain top results in the big races,” Mollema said.