Belkin takes attackers to Vattenfall Cyclassics
The Belkin Pro Cycling Team will race the Vattenfall Cyclassics on Sunday with an attacking team. Sports Director Jan Boven wants his riders to fight for the win as a collective unit.
“Overall, we have a very strong team,” Boven explained. “We don’t have a real sprinter but if we make it a hard race on, a small group can make it to the finish – and then we’ll we have several men who can finish off the job.”
The team lacks a true leader because it is difficult for Boven to select one. “Tom Leezer finished seventh here once, Tom-Jelte Slagter and Paul Martens are made for this parcours, Sep Vanmarcke is still in excellent Tour de France form and, given from what I saw of his sprints in the Eneco Tour, Lars Boom really stands a chance here. We’re going use the strength of the team.”
Martens’ home race
The Vattenfall Cyclassics is a home race for Paul Martens as the German grew up nearby. “I lived in Buchholz for years and my parents still live there,” said Martens. “If I’m not mistaken we’ll pass Buchholz on Sunday, which will be like a flashback.”
In recent years, sprinters dominated the Vattenfall Cyclassics but Martens hopes this year it will be different. “The final is a bit too easy but in the past breakaways held on until the line. It is about time for that to happen again,” he continued. “We have a good team with men who like to attack. If we want to achieve something, we’ll need to make it a hard race, which is exactly what we are planning to do.”
Team line-up:
Lars Boom, Jos van Emden, Rick Flens, Tom Leezer, Paul Martens, Maarten Tjallingii, Tom-Jelte Slagter and Sep Vanmarcke
Sports Director:
Jan Boven
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