Joaquim Rodriguez didn’t race much so far this season, following entirely different programme towards his participation in the Giro d’Italia. However, on the eve of the first of Ardennes classics, the Amstel Gold Race, the Katusha leader revealed that Liege-Bastogne-Liege is his number one objective of 2014, and expressed satisfaction with his current disposition, despite arriving to Belgium three hours later after his flight was delayed.

There were serious questions regarding the disposition of the Katusha leader as he disappeared from the racing arena for over a month after his low-key early season performances. However, Rodriguez bounced back with a convincing victory in the Volta a Catalunya and plans to continue in the same line through the Ardennes classics.

The 34-year old Catalan finished runner-up to Daniel Martin in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege last year after crashing out of the Amstel Gold Race and plans to improve on this anyway respectable result, as he named the hilly monument his major objective of the 2014 season.

“I’m expecting a lot from this part of the season, Liège is my number one goal of 2014,” Rodriguez told Derniere Heure.

“Of course a week earlier my form won’t be any worse, and if I can win Amstel, I will not let the occasion pass me by.”

Rodriguez finished second at the Amstel Gold Race in 2011, a season when flying Philippe Gilbert took the spoils in all three Ardennes classics, but despite splendid disposition things won’t be any easier for the Katusha leader this time around, considering a change of its finale certainly not working in his favour.

The 34-year old Catalan will be joined by last season’s Fleche Wallonne winner Daniel Moreno, creating a highly explosive Katusha duo able to have serious impact in all three Ardennes classics.