Roelandts and Boeckmans ride for Lotto in Belgian Champs

Jürgen Roelandts and Kris Boeckmans are two strengths of Lotto-Belisol in the Belgian Championships today. They will start with a "good feeling" and that "you have to get past Boonen if you want to be champion." 

Roelandts rode in the Dauphiné with a tooth problem. "Forcing myself made no sense in view of the Tour. The inflammation is now gone. I have some slight discomfort, but it's been fine in training. Hopefully I can pull through." 

"It is a flat course, but that does not mean that we are heading for a sprint," he says in the Newspaper. "It will twist and turn with wind and rain as potential game-breakers," he said about the race course.

"At Lotto-Belisol we have several irons in the fire, even with some guys who can finish in a group sprint. It is always a special course with surprising twists." 

"What is also clear that whoever wants to be champion needs to get past Tom Boonen (OPQS). I think the course really suits him." 

Kris Boeckmans collected some beautiful places of honor in recent weeks. He was second in Halle-Ingooigem and also grabbed second in the third stage of the Dauphine, missing out on the win by mere inches. 

"My fast legs are back", said the Lotto-Belisol rider in Gazet, satisfied with his form curve. "I dream of the tricolor, the BK stands with red circled in my calendar." 

"It is crucial to ride with the team. A sprint with a large group is inevitable and given my recent results I hope to get a chance to try and win." 

"That brings some extra pressure with it, but I can handle it. The also announced bad weather does not scare me. I really see it suiting me. I want to seize this opportunity with both hands."