Dutchman hoping for home glory on the Cauberg and in the Ardennes
Robert Gesink is already the owner of an excellent spring campaign following two stage wins and the overall at the Tour of Oman and a second place overall at the recently completed Tirreno-Adriatico. He’s just getting going though.
The lanky Dutchman says to the Amstel Gold website that his two main highlights of the first half of his year are only a few weeks distant: the bookending races of the Ardennes Triptych.
“I have two main goals in the spring: Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Amstel Gold Race. Everyone wants a beautiful win at the Amstel Gold Race. For the Dutch, it’s such a special classic in our own country. There are always a lot of people along the side of the road and the most encouragement for us Dutch riders.”
Looking to those two upcoming goals, there’s no reason to think that the still only 24 year old climber can’t be a major contender. While the uphill finish on the Cauberg has suited explosive finishers in the past, a powerful move from bottom to top could take the advantage away from riders like Philippe Gilbert and put it back in the hands of a pure climber like Gesink.
Gesink is under no illusions about the race’s typical flow either – victory will likely come in a big move on the final ascent of the Cauberg. A breakaway would be ideal for the rider who already has a third place finish in the Dutch classic to his credit in 2009.
“We certainly want to represent Rabobank at the front. We play a home game, but it will be hard for me to get away. The Cauberg will decide. I assume that in any case.”
Following the conclusion of Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Gesink’s entire focus will be on July’s Tour de France, and rightly so, considering his 6th overall finish in his first ever Tour de France last year.
“Outside the two classics, I’m focusing entirely on the 2011 Tour de France, but that’s still a little ways off.”
Gesink’s improvement in his time trialing and his already world class climbing are rapidly transforming him from a Grand Tour talent and prospect into a Grand Tour favorite. It’s a development not lost on the great Eddy Merckx.
“In my view, Gesink is a great candidate for victory at the Tour. That could happen faster than many think. Maybe even this year already. The route of this Tour fits him like a glove.”
Considering the giant leaps he has already show this year in time trials at the Tour of Oman and Tirreno-Adriatico, who’s to say that his development can’t take him from 6th at the Grand Boucle in 2010 to the podium in 2011? It certainly isn’t a stretch of the imagination.