Lotto Soudal will start the Ruta del Sol with Bart De Clercq, Tim Wellens and Maxime Monfort. Rider Louis Vervaeke and sports director Bart Leysen give a little preview.

“My first race of the season was the Challenge Mallorca and I had a good feeling afterwards," Vervaeke said. "The first day I was part of the sprint train of André Greipel and he won. It’s very pleasant to celebrate a victory together with the teammates, especially when you played a role in it. In the third stage I was in the right breakaway and I felt really strong. I tried to get away at the end but I ended up in the top twenty.

“The shape is very good at this moment. Last year’s Ruta del Sol wasn’t a success for me because I was involved in a massive crash. I had to leave the race due to a severe concussion. It’s quite clear that I want to perform better than the previous year. There are a few stages that I like and perhaps I may obtain a chance to show something.

“After a training week with the team in Mallorca I travelled to Torremolinos to have another training week together with Tim Wellens, Sean De Bie and Jasper Stuyven. It’s a bit of a combination between training and relaxing. My girlfriend came to visit and that was very nice. The weather is lovely, sunny but a bit windy though. It’s perfect weather to maintain the shape. Next week I travel from here to the Ruta del Sol.”

“I have the feeling that the course is slightly tougher in comparison with previous years," sports director Bart Leysen said. "The second and final stage will determine the GC, together with the time trial. Stage two contains a heavy climb at about twenty kilometers from the end and on the final day there’s an uphill finish. There’s also a tough climb in the time trial. It will be a matter of chosing the right gear and losing as little time as possible.

“We aim for a stage win, after that we’ll see how the race will evolve and who will go for the GC. Bart De Clercq and Tim Wellens are guys who can both handle a tough stage and ride a decent time trial. Also Louis Vervaeke is in a good mood, he showed in Mallorca that he’s ready and that he’s in a good shape. He’ll certainly have his chance when it’s possible. Maxime Monfort and Jelle Vanendert are the most experienced riders in the selection and they can guide or coach the others. Tosh Van der Sande is someone we can rely on in the sprints. It will be a matter of being awake from the beginning. If we ride like the previous weeks, aggressively and with dedication, we’ll have a good chance of winning a stage.”

Tomasz Marczynski will ride the Ruta del Sol instead of Sean De Bie because Sean De Bie will replace Marcel Sieberg in the Volta ao Algarve due to illness of the German.

Selection Ruta del Sol: 

Tomasz Marczynski, Bart De Clercq, Maxim Monfort, Tosh Van der Sande, Jelle Vanendert, Louis Vervaeke and Tim Wellens.