Team Sky will head to the Tour of Flanders with a strong lineup as the Classics season builds momentum.
Team Sky head into the 264.7-kilometre test with a strong seven man squad: Michal Golas, Christian Knees, Michal Kwiatkowski, Gianni Moscon, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Dylan van Baarle.
Michal Kwiatkowski returns to the cobbles following a strong start to the season that includes overall victories at Volta ao Algarve and Tirreno-Adriatico.
Dylan van Baarle has finished sixth and fourth in the last two editions of ‘De Ronde’, while Gianni Moscon was the British team’s best placed rider in Flanders 12 months ago.
“It’s one of the biggest races of the year so of course everyone is really up for it,” explained Sport Director Servais Knaven.
“We’re going to do a bit of a recon tomorrow (Friday). The guys know the roads but it helps you get in the zone and we can also check out some parts of the course that have changed a bit. The riders are really ready for it and most of them having been racing in Belgium already in the last week. We also get Kwiato in and he’ll do his first race on the cobbles this year. Everyone is really excited.
“We have a very strong lineup. If you look at Gianni, Kwiato, Dylan, Luke, Ian and then the super helpers Christian and Michal – I think we have a really good team who can ride well and protect the leaders on the flat and between the climbs. Then we have a few cards to play in the pre-final and the final.
“It is a difficult race and it’s not easy to win. Let’s see how it plays out on Sunday and where the race is decided. It could be a bit earlier over Kwaremont, Paterberg, Koppenberg. But we’ve also seen a lot that the final two climbs have been decisive. Then it’s all about the legs so we’ll see how it is when we get there.
“But I have a good feeling. The guys are ready and we’ll go for the win. But so will everyone else! It’s a tough battle but that’s why it’s so beautiful if you can win it.”
