Jurgen Van Den Broeck crashed out of the 2013 Tour de France but is intent on reaching his goal of a podium finish in 2014. Having seen the course for next year's edition of the French grand tour, he was especially pleased with the fact that there will only be one time trial.

Jurgen Van Den Broeck has twice finished 4th in the Tour de France and all was set for a big attack on the podium in this year's edition of the race. However, those hopes were dashed when the Belgian hit the deck on stage 5 in Marseille and left the race with severe knee injuries.

On Monday, Van Den Broeck was given the green light to resume his training on the bike and he has already started the process of building condition for another assault on the podium in the race that matters the most. Hence, he studied the route carefully when it was presented in the Palais des Congres earlier today.

Known as a strong climber, Van Den Broeck has often lost time in the time trials and he was especially keen to point out that there will only be one race against the clock next year. Furthermore, it comes on the penultimate day where recovery usually plays an important role.

“I’m not sorry about the fact  that there’s only one time trial," he said. "It’s also on the penultimate day, so often the specialists don’t play a role anymore. On top of that there’s a also an uphill part at the end which is bad for them. Eventually the most fresh and better riders will come to the front."

"Some favourites will also have lost plenty of time by that day," he said. "The men in the top of the GC will battle against each other, although it’s possible that all has been decided already. So for me it’s an advantage the time trial takes place at the end of the Tour.”

The race also includes a much anticipated stage on the cobbles. While Van Den Broeck is no specialist on the rough surface, he is part of a Belgian team that has plenty of experience in this kind of racing. Known for his meticulous preparation, he also has the added advantage that he already knows most of the main climbs.

“In the fifth stage, with cobblestones, it’s all about staying safe," he said. "Such a stage gives stress. The mountain stages have nice summit finishes, they are also famous climbs. I know a lot of the cols that are on the route, like Pla d’Adet and Hautacam in the final week.”

Manager Marc Sergeant was keen to point out that his team will be able to support Van Den Broeck on the cobbles in Northern France.

“Apart from the stage over the cobblestones it is a traditional Tour, although the start in England is of course also something special," he said. "In the stage from Ieper to Arenberg you can’t win the Tour but you can lose it. Each team has got a sprinter or GC rider and will want to be in front. As a Belgian team we have sufficient experience for such a stage, especially with riders like Roelandts, Bak, Greipel and Hansen. The visit to our country is definitely a surplus value for us as a Belgian team.”

Like Van Den Broeck, Sergeant had taken particular notice of the fact that the only time trial will take place on the penultimate day.

“By putting the time trial at the end, the organization wants to keep the tension as long as possible," he said. "It has been a while since the last mountain stage took place on Thursday and there was a flat stage and then a time trial on Saturday. It actually is a balanced route. We know most of the climbs from the Tour or other races. The uphill finish in Risoul is new in the Tour, but has been on the route of the Dauphiné."

With Van Den Broeck having missed the second part of the season due to his injuries, Sergeant didn't want to make a specific goal at this early point in time.

"It’s too early to predict the chances of Jurgen Van den Broeck," he said. "We want to bring him back on the highest possible level. First there are the stage races in the beginning of the season to get him ready for the Tour.”

Van Den Broeck will share captaincy duties with sprinter Andre Greipel in the Tour.