Following a splendid showing at the Fleche Wallonne emphasized by second and fifth spot claimed by their captains, Garmin-Sharp boldly aim to improve on that result with a strong roster including the Liege-Bastogne-Liege defending champion Daniel Martin and two other riders – in-form Tom-Jelte Slagter and Ryder Hesjedal, capable of making it into the top ten on Sunday.

The Garmin-Sharp sports director and the former Liege-Bastogne-Liege winner Eric Van Lancker believes in their chances of claiming second consecutive victory in La Doyenne, pointing out to a quickly increasing disposition of Martin with Slagter as team’s dark horse.

Lancker also recalls his victory in Liege from 1990, admitting that the race became more challenging during the last two decades with organizers consequently adding new climbs to its route.

“Today’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege cannot be compared with the race it was 25 years ago. Recently new climbs were inserted and the finale became much heavier,” Lancker told Sporza.

“I hope one of our riders is going to win on Sunday. With Daniel Martin, Tom-Jelte Slagter and Ryder Hesjedal we actually have three riders capable of winning in the squad. Slagter is certainly ready to pounce. It’s a joy to line up in the race with such a strong team.”

“Martin? In the Amstel Gold Race he was a little bit behind since he has just returned from 14 day-long altitude training. It takes its tools. But now he is ready. At the Fleche Wallonne he was second and that’s always a good measure of disposition ahead of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege,” Lancker claimed.

Apart from the Garmin-Sharp formidable duo of Slagter and Martin, American team’s sports director pointed out to Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Michał Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Philippe Gilbert (BMC) as other major contenders to take the spoils in La Doyenne on Sunday.

“I expect guys like Valverde, Rodriguez and Kwiatkowski to be in front for the finale. Gilbert will be there as well. I never doubted him and now he has already won the [Amstel] Gold Race. It gives you peace of mind at the start. That can make a difference.”

“From Froome I do not expect much as we didn’t see a lot of him in previous races. He has never excelled in one-day events. This is something very different to stage races and I would be surprised if he would come to the fore, but I can be wrong about that, obviously,” Lancker concluded.

The Garmin-Sharp roster for Liege-Bastogne-Liege consists of:

Daniel Martin, Tom-Jelte Slagter, Ryder Hesjedal, Ramunas Navardauskas, Thomas Dekker, Nathan Haas, Alex Howes and Fabian Wegmann