Sepp Kuss and Matteo Jorgenson will lead Visma-Lease a Bike’s two-pronged GC method on the eight-day Critérium du Dauphiné that begins on Sunday in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule.
The pair have said that whereas the opening levels current challenges, they may look to the ultimate three levels to make their mark on the general classification. All three embody uphill finishes at Le Collet d’Allevard on stage 6, Samoëns 1600 on stage 7, and Plateau des Glières on the finale stage 8.
Jorgenson additionally famous the problem of the mid-race time trial on stage 4 from Saint-Germain-Laval to Neulise.
“The finale is extraordinarily powerful. Nobody will have the ability to cover there. Even Wednesday’s time trial will make a distinction between the GC contenders,” stated Jorgenson of the 35-kilometre take a look at in opposition to the clock.
The Visma-Lease a Bike staff competing on the Critérium du Dauphiné can even embody Dylan van Baarle, Steven Kruijswijk, Tiesj Benoot, Bart Lemmen, and Koen Bouwman. And like many groups and riders, they may use the eight-day race as necessary ultimate preparations for the Tour de France, which begins on the finish of June.
“We’re going into this race with GC ambitions for myself and Sepp. We begin with seven robust riders, most of whom have ridden collectively not too long ago in preparation for the Tour,” Jorgenson stated.
“The competitors could be very robust with riders like Primož Roglič, Remco Evenepoel and Juan Ayuso. The degree will undoubtedly be excessive, however that may solely be good after the final coaching block.”
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Jorgenson received Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen this spring and stated that he’s trying ahead to racing once more however that his important purpose is on the Tour de France. “I’m interested by my type. We will all do our greatest,” he stated.
2023 Vuelta a España winner Kuss completed eighth at Volta ao Algarve, thirteenth at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and received the mountain classification on the Itzulia Basque Country this season.
Sports director Frans Maassen stated the staff desires to see how far Kuss and Jorgenson can go within the GC. “At Paris-Nice, Matteo confirmed he can deal with a week-long stage race nicely. Sepp’s qualities have been identified for some time. He has been indispensable in our latest successes in a number of Grand Tours. Last yr’s Vuelta was the crowning achievement of his profession. Hopefully, he can be an necessary a part of any success this summer time,” he stated.
“We’re going into this race with excessive expectations, however we additionally know that we can’t be at our greatest till the Tour de France in about 4 weeks.”
The staff haven’t but confirmed whether or not two-time Tour de France champion and final yr’s Dauphine winner Jonas Vingegaard can be on the beginning line this yr’s Tour.
He is presently heading to an altitude coaching camp in Tignes, France, to proceed his restoration from accidents suffered in a crash on the Itzulia Basque Country in April.
In addition, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease A Bike) not too long ago returned to racing on the Tour of Norway, two months after his horrible crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen
“As a staff administration, we’re curious to see how issues go together with the fellows driving the Tour. We nonetheless do not know precisely which riders can be within the squad as a result of we do not know if Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert can be match once more. We have to attend and see. We simply wish to do in addition to we will on this race. It’s a race we’ll have fond reminiscences of,” Maassen stated.