Team LottoNL-Jumbo has several options to perform during the 3-daagse van West-Vlaanderen. Tom Van Asbroeck is the most important rider for the stages, while Martijn Keizer should be able to deliver a good general classification because of his time trial skills.

“I have to be at my best, now”, Martijn Keizer makes clear. “I am satisfied with my current condition. I have to show off during the prologue in West-Vlaanderen. This race suits me well enough to maintain a good position in the general classification afterwards.”

The 3-daagse van West-Vlaanderen starts with a prologue of 7 kilometres. The two stages are challenging with its tough climbs such as the Oude Kwaremont, the Rodeberg, the Monteberg and the Kemmelberg.

“It’s a profile that gives all the riders a chance to show themselves”, sports director Frans Maassen said. “In Tom Van Asbroeck, we have a strong man for the stages and Martijn Keizer is able to deliver a good time trial. But maybe one of the other riders can surprise.”

Tom Van Asbroeck showed in the Algarve and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne that he is in good shape at the moment. For this reason the team expect him to perform in the 3-daagse van West-Vlaanderen as well.

“But it’s premature to expect that he will win a stage”, Maassen nuances. “There will be a lot of strong riders in this race and cycling isn’t a sport in which winning is a formality anyway. I hope that everyone will give everything they have. When the whole team has fought at their maximum level, I will be satisfied with every result. The prologue will be decisive for the general classification, so I expect everyone to go all the way in those 7 kilometres.”

Team Line-up:
Tom van Asbroeck, Brian Bulgac, Martijn Keizer, Bert-Jan Lindeman, Nick van der Lijke, Barry Markus, Timo Roosen and Mike Teunissen.