After a disappointing 2015 season, Sep Vanmarcke will again try to play a leading role in the cobbled classics. In order to be fresher at the start of the main events, Vanmarcke will skip Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. "I'll do Milan-Sanremo and the Amstel Gold Race for the first time," Vanmarcke tells Sporza.

At the Volta ao Algarve (February 17-21), Sep Vanmarcke will do his first racing kilometres in 2016. “I always start my season pretty late because I do not need much racing,” he tells Sporza.

"Then we have a big change: I will skip the Flemish opening weekend to be fresher for the classics.

"After Paris-Nice I will also do Milano-Sanremo for the first time. Then the usual races with the E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem, De Ronde and Paris-Roubaix are next. I will also do the Amstel Gold Race and will normally go to the Tour as a domestique."

Vanmarcke also wanted to shine in last year’s classics but he failed. "I think I have to forget last season,” he says. "I was well-prepared, but everything was a bit disappointing. I had a lot of bad luck and then I lost some morale.

"But after the Tour I was already focused on 2016 and I have worked with a lot of motivation. The motivation in recent months was certainly there, even if there is always enthusiasm when you start to train. Otherwise you will not succeed."

At least, the bad 2015 season has not affaected Vanmarcke’s confidence.  "It would be unfair to think that I cannot return to my best after a season without great results," says the LottoNL-jumbo rider.

Physically everything seems to be good. "Six weeks ago I had a wrist operation, but I have recovered pretty well. I can train fully and have no problems.

"I work hard and hope again to reach my best level. When will I be satisfied? I need to reach my best level and then the good performances will automatically follow."