Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) will now forgo the two Belgian Classics he had planned to do to build up to Paris-Roubaix in order to do a more stage race themed build up with the Volta a Catalunya.

He had planned to do Dwars door Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem but will now only race the Scheldeprijs to build towards a challenge at the “Hell of the North”.

He was 5th in Catalunya last year after a strong showing, particularly on a downhill section on the opening stage, ironic considering his Giro performance. He will also do Tirreno-Adriatico as a helper for Chris Froome.

“I was quite happy with how it worked out in Catalonia [in 2013], I just needed a time trial there, I was only off the pace a little bit by [the race finish in] Barcelona, and with a time trial I’d have been in with a shout,” Wiggins told Cyclingnews.

He explained the decision to not do the Classics:

“I felt like I needed a bit more stage racing to get up to full speed for Paris-Roubaix, and then on for [the Tour of] California,” said Wiggins, who has made the American stage race the second big goal of the first half of his season.

Wiggins, who has done Roubaix once for Sky (90th in 2011), has 25th for Garmin in 2009 as his best finish.

There has been a mixed reaction to his announcement of doing Roubaix, with defending champion Fabian Canellara (Trek) saying “With Tour de France weight you’re not going to go anywhere, but it’s everyone’s choice.”

Teammate Bernhard Eisel said, ““If he's on, then he's definitely one of the main contenders."

We will just have to wait and see what Wiggins shows up in Roubaix.