Exactly such figure rising star of the Flemish classics, Sep Vanmarcke, gave while being asked about his form several days before the Belgian season kicks-off with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne. And was as confident about it as about anything else in this world.

While his main rivals in upcoming weeks, Tom Boonen, Greg Van Avermaet or Niki Terpstra have spent last weeks fine-tuning their form by fighting in a desert crosswinds, the LottoNL-Jumbo rider preferred to finish off his preparations in Algarve.

„Races held in exotic destinations give no indication,” Vanmarcke told Nieuwsblad. „Competitions such as Tour de San Luis in Argentina are too early in the calendar. Furthermore, you're suffering from jet lag and hot weather conditions. Qatar and Oman are all about riding constantly the same straight roads through the same monotonous desert landscape. I did them in 2010. While stages lasted barely three hours, I have never counted down kilometers to the finish line as desperately as back then, because of a clear boredom.”