Lotto-Soudal manager Marc Sergeant sounded very serious while calling last year's Vuelta a Espana Jurgen Van Den Broeck's second chance. Not that he meant the last one, but the 32-year old Belgian disappointed and thus the Tour de France was signed off of his race programme for 2015. It had to be a huge blow for a rider once regarded a perennial contender for the French Grand Tour, but reportedly he remained on a good terms with his squad.

Van Den Broeck kicked-off his 2015 season in Vuelta Andalucia, where he performed unimpressively yet consistently, finishing stages to Alto de Hazallanas and Alto de Allanadas 11th and 10th respectively. A massive pile-up which saw more than half of the peloton hitting the deck during the first stage buried his chances for a good result in the general classification, what left the Belgian climber disappointed.

„It's stupid that I have already lost a minute, only because I had to wait for a new bicycle,” Van Den Broeck told Nieuwsblad.be following the first stage of Vuelta Andalucia, revealing that his Belgian squad could have not made desperate efforts to provide him with a new equipment quickly. „Personally, I was able to continue right away.”

Without any surprise, Tour de France being removed from Van Den Broeck's race schedule for 2015 was a topic which interested journalists most while speaking with the Lotto-Soudal rider. The 32-year old Belgian insisted, though, that he remains motivated to prove his worth and despite this obvious blow, there are still exciting enough events included in his programme.

„I have repeated it a thousand times: my seasons were never only about the Tour. Even back then I was usually quite strong in the spring and I want to continue in the same fashion this year. Tirreno is my first big goal, which will be followed by Catalunya, Normandy and Switzerland. Good enough races, I would say. I want to show myself off against all odds.”

The former podium finisher of the French three-week event revealed, however, that he is not certain whether the team would allow him to ride the Giro d'Italia, preferring him to tackle the Vuelta once again instead.

„I would also like to ride it,” Ven Den Broeck replied on a suggestion that Sergeant would prefer him to ride the Spanish Grand Tour. „I hope I will be allowed to ride the Giro. Oh well, we will see...”

How is it going to feel to follow an entirely different programme after peaking for the Tour for so many years? And how have it affected his relationship with Lotto-Soudal team, with which he started his sixth season?

„It's going to be weird. I've been always in [the Tour de France roster] for six years in a row, and suddenly it was over. It is how it is, though.”

„Any cracks? Not quite yet. I believe I still can ride a nice programme. And how it looks now doesn't mean that I will never ride the Tour again.”

Even though his contract with Lotto expires by the end of this year and the 32-year old climber definitely has to perform following last season's disappointments, he claims not to be too busy thinking about such issues.

„I'm not thinking about it,” Van Den Broeck insisted. „I only want to race hard and achieve results in the coming months. The rest will follow.”