Lotto Soudal: Giro preview with DS Bart Leysen
Next Friday, 5 May, the hundredth Giro d’Italia starts. The riders commence a three week ordeal on the island of Sardinia. After three stages, the caravan is heading for Sicily. Two days later, the peloton sets foot on the Italian mainland. From the foot of the boot, the riders are heading north where a difficult final week in the Dolomites awaits them. The Giro ends on Sunday 28th of May with a time trial in Milan. Lotto Soudal is going for a stage win with André Greipel, Bart De Clercq and Maxime Monfort are the GC riders. Sports director Bart Leysen comments on the selection of nine riders.
Bart Leysen: “Last year, André Greipel won three stages; let’s now try to start with one. The opportunities for the sprinters are limited to the two first weeks, starting with the first stage on Sardinia. The nature of that stage is better for André than the start of the Giro last year. Then there was a prologue in Holland followed by two nervous stages. During this Giro, there are six opportunities for the sprinters.”
“We have a strong team to help André during the sprint stages. Sean De Bie will assume the role that is normally for Marcel Sieberg. He has to bring André to the front of the peloton on the right moment. Sean feels these moments very well and he also stays calm. Last year, he participated in his first Giro and he ended it very well. Then he did a lot of work for the team and I expect it to be the same this year. Jasper De Buyst is the ideal man for the last three kilometres. He can really put his ambitions aside for a teammate, but obviously he also has fast legs. When he is a part of a breakaway, he can certainly use them. In principle Moreno Hofland will be the lead-out for André. Depending on the course of the race, Moreno and Jasper can also switch places. It can be really chaotic during the Giro and thus it is good to have somebody up your sleeve.”
“After an absence of four years, Bart De Clercq is returning to the Giro. He has really set his mind to it. He was strong in the Walloon classics, he is ready for it. I see him finishing between the tenth and fifteenth place on GC. Higher is also good of course. The last three years Maxime Monfort finished each time in the top fifteen. Like last year I think it is good to try to move up in the classification by joining a breakaway. Max can maintain a constant level for three weeks and he has a lot of experience in the Giro which will come in handy during the last difficult week.”
“In the mountains Bart and Maxime can certainly count on the support of Tomasz Marzynski. Also during other stages Tomasz will be a great help to the team. You can really rely on Tomasz, he is a real team player. He does not back down from, while riding uphill, returning to the team car to collect water bottles. Tomasz is really appreciated.”
“With his experience Lars Bak can act as a link between the team car and the riders in the peloton. He is good at feeling the race and can judge well the situation. You can rely on a regular old hand as Lars. Also Adam Hansen has tons of experiences in the Grand Tours. Paris-Nice was not a success due to illness but after that he could prepare himself perfectly for the Giro. He can help his teammates in the flat stages as well as in the mountains. Adam is not afraid to take his chance and in this Giro he can certainly do this.”
“If we win a stage with André Greipel, our Giro will be a success. Everything that follows, is a bonus. Last year we won four stages but you cannot expect this every year. The fact is that if you win once, everything goes easier. André is returning in competition after a period of rest and a one-day race in Frankfurt, so he might have to get back into the rhythm. But I will be satisfied if we can play a role.”
The hardest part of the Giro is clearly the last week. Starting with a stage over the Mortirolo and Stelvio after the third rest day. Everything before, can certainly not be underestimated though. Before the second rest day, a finish lies on top of the Etna and also on the Blockhaus.
Bart Leysen: “Stages such as the one to Blockhaus (152km) just before the second rest day and the fourteenth stage to Oropa (131km) can be very dangerous for the GC riders. The stages are relatively short with only at the end a climb that awaits the riders. The GC contenders will want to seriously shake things up on that final climb. The pace will be so high that the time differences can be considerable. Before the second rest day it will be clear who is really good and that mental advantage will play a role for the rest of the Giro.”
“Sometimes the danger can be lurking around every corner. On Sicily, we will have to ride over very small roads. If there the pace is high, GC riders can come into trouble if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Besides, the finish of the fourth stage is on the Etna. Also echelons can play their part in the first and seventh stage. In the seventh stage it can be a good thing for us if Bart and Max are in good position because André can win that stage. The finale is comparable to the first stage that André won last year.”
“This year there are two time trials on the route. One just before the second rest day, the other on the last day. For the GC riders it is always an important day but the time trials will not be so crucial. I expect that on the last day there will be not much change at the top of the general classification. The selection will be made earlier that week. During the last stages, some leaders will certainly get into trouble. For the final victory, Nairo Quintana is my top favourite.”
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