Gárate guides Belkin in San Sebastián

The Belkin Pro Cycling Team races the Clásica de San Sebastián with a highly motivated Juan Manuel Gárate. According to Sports Director Jan Boven, the Spaniard rides the one-day classic “to step up his game a bit.” Gárate will try to get the jump on the team’s rivals and help leaders Robert Gesink, Paul Martens, Bauke Mollema and Tom-Jelte Slagter.

Boven takes two groups of riders to the start on Saturday in northern Spain. Some of them come from the Tour de France and others have been riding the Tour de Wallonie. Boven is hopeful for both groups. “Especially Robert,” he said. “He was very strong in the last week of the Tour, and that’s a good sign. The guys in Wallonia did a good job, too.”

Ready for hard race
With Gesink and Mollema, Team Belkin has two men who finished in the top ten in previous Clásicas. Gesink placed seventh in 2010 and Mollema fifth in last year’s race. “With those two, Paul and Tom-Jelte we have four men who can handle a hard race and are still strong enough to sprint for the win. And of course Juanma, who’s always able to step up when needed in a home race.”

Team line-up: Jack Bobridge, Juanma Gárate, Robert Gesink, Paul Martens, Bauke Mollema, Tom-Jelte Slagter, Bram Tankink en Dennis van Winden – Sports Director: Jan Boven.

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