A minor detail of six seconds separated Bauke Mollema (Blanco) from a place on the podium at Critérium International but his confidence has soared after his third place at the summit of the 14 km Col de l’Ospedale on Stage 3 and provided plenty of optimism ahead of Amstel Gold Race.

In addition, his solid performance has also shown he can handle the longer climbs essential to performing and leading Team Blanco at the Tour de France.

Last year Mollema crashed out of the Tour on Stage 11 to La Toussuire and was subsequently compelled to stay off his bike for substantial periods of time prior to the Vuelta a España but this summer he will return his focus to assuming a leadership role in the French grand tour.

Robert Gesink and Mollema are likely to share the duties and benefits of co-captaining Blanco at the three week race but Gesink will have the added challenge of dealing with fatigue caused by his participation in the Giro d'Italia.

"It is good to have been here [in Corsica] once already," he told Cyclingonline.nl. "It is a difficult island. The road is rarely straight and flat. The first week is always very nervous, but here will it will be worse. The team leaders will have extensively explored the stages before the start."

Looking forward to the Ardennes and more specifically Amstel Gold, Mollema says his results this year - sixth-overall at Tour Mediterranéen, third in Ruta Del Sol, second at Vuelta a Murcia and second-place on the tough Stage 5 at Tirreno-Adriatico - have given him a new sense of assurance ahead of the tough week of one-day classics and of course, the Tour.

"This year I have been performing very well on shorter climbs and especially in the short explosive work. Now I also know that I can handle a climb of fourteen km. It gives me confidence ahead of the Tour de France."