A new spring means a new spy this time. An anonymous professional cyclist kept his eyes open in the peloton in recent weeks. Who is his top favorite for the Omloop? And who shouldn’t we expect anything from in the classics? Read it in his first contribution.
The preparation races were a nice prelude, but the winner of the Omloop has been getting ready on Mount Teide in recent weeks.
All Jumbo-Visma spring riders slept on the famous mountain. And I heard the wind that newcomer Jan Tratnik was raging like a machine.
Everyone on the team was shocked when the Slovenian dragged in the lead. Tratnik already made an impression at Bahrain last year. Write him down for an even more prominent role in the classics.
The entire Jumbo-Visma will be impressive this weekend.
With candidate winners such as Tiesj Benoot, Christophe Laporte and Dylan van Baarle, it will be a race in the race. Whoever leaves first is protected.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Tiesj Benoot becomes the big man tomorrow. He is always good when he returns from a height and last year he also broke open the course on the Berendries. Tiesj is my top favorite.
The 33-year-old Slovenian Jan Tratnik made the switch from Bahrain Victorious to Jumbo-Visma this winter.
“De Buyst has to tune violins at Lotto-Dstny”
I had to laugh when Victor Campenaerts once again shouted from the rooftops that he wants to and can win the Omloop and that every WorldTour team should be afraid of Lotto-Dstny.
You should always take someone like Campie with a grain of salt. Boasting is his way of motivating himself.
We have also often seen that Victor drives a bit stupid in his enthusiasm. Just think of the Franco Belge last year, in which he rode alone to Kristoff, De Buyst and Van Gestel. In the end the Lotto’s finished 3rd and 4th. They didn’t enjoy each other there.
Tomorrow Victor will want to make it a hard race, while Arnaud De Lie benefits more from a closed course.
It is then up to road captain Jasper De Buyst to equalize the violins. Otherwise frustrations will creep into the team.
Victor Campenaerts puts pressure on himself and his Lotto-Dstny team in the press.
“Sagan will not be missed in the peloton”
Without Van der Poel and Van Aert, riders such as Lampaert, Stuyven, Van Avermaet and Naesen will also have a unique opportunity to win a spring race tomorrow.
But honestly: I don’t expect much from Greg and Oli. I wish them both, but their team is not adapted to modern cycling.
I have heard from several people that Lampaert is super good. But I don’t know if we’ll see that in the opening weekend.
A rider who often falls between the folds in the favorites lists but was very strong in the Tour of the Algarve is Matteo Trentin. He is smart and fast and will be close tomorrow too.
I don’t expect much from Greg and Oli this spring. Their team is not adapted to modern cycling.
And Peter Sagan? He’s been busting for 2 years now. Performance no longer interests him.
The way Sagan riding through the pack says it all really. He can push to claim a spot, but oh woe if you push yourself. 2 kilometers after pushing and shouting, he then falls off himself.
This is Sagan’s last season in the WorldTour and believe me, he will not be missed in the peloton. He himself will not miss the peloton either, because the joy of racing is completely extinguished with him.
The team of the spy in the Sporza Cycling Manager
At the beginning of this week, our previous spy was exposed
