Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo) is preparing for the Tour de France  in the Sierra Nevada. This is a new approach for the Belgian who has never done altitude training before. "But I look back at it with satisfaction," said Vanmarcke.

Since May 20 Sep Vanmarcke has been in Sierra Nevada and will return home on Saturday. 

"It has been 18 intensive days of training. I now look back at it with satisfaction. It was difficult, but I think that the hard work will pay off," Vanmarcke told Sporza.

Vanmarcke had no experience with altitude training. 

"I had already slept in an altitude tent. But such a camp was a proposal by the team coach last year and this year I decided to do it.

"An training camp is quite different than a tent. Here you can stimulate everything. I can train hard in the mountains and get extra red blood cells which will improve my stamina."

Before the Tour, Vanmarcke will ride the Tour of Switzerland, Halle-Ingooigem and the Belgian championships. Of course he has marked the cobbled stage of the French race out as a goal.

"I've already looked at the stage on paper, but I have not yet done a recone of it. On Monday I will go there by car to take a look. After the Tour of Switzerland, I will do it on the bike with the team."