Classics specialist Markus Eichler and sprinter Robert Förster will lead a squad with six of Team Milram’s youngsters this coming weekend in the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen (March 6-8/UCI 2.1). The young riders, with an average age of 24.1 years, are Germans Thomas Fothen, Artur Gajek, Dominik Roels and Paul Voß, Italian Luca Barla and Dutch sprinter Wim Stroetinga.
“Because of its profile, the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen is one of the most challenging Spring races,” explained Milram’s Directeur Sportif Ralf Grabsch. “Especially the cobblestone passages require the highest concentration and all of a rider’s know-how. I am eager to see how our young rider do in Belgium. Our goal is to shape the stages in order to have good results in the end.”
The stages of the Belgian race will not be easy for the riders of the Dortmund-based team. They face a total of 541 hilly kilometers with some difficult cobblestone passages. In last year’s edition of the Belgian stage race, Milram’s Martin Velits put in a strong performance. The Slovakian finished eighth overall after 543 kilometers.
The Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen has been carried out in this form since 2003. It was previously run as the Omloop der Vlaamse Ardennen-Ichtegem (1945-1998) and Guldensporentweedaagse (1999-2002) In 2005 the race had to be cancelled due to a heavy snowfall. Robert Bartko won the race in 2004, the only German to do so in the last five years.
The Team MILRAM line-up:
Luca Barla (ITA/Bordighera), Markus Eichler (GER/Mönchengladbach), Robert Förster (GER/Leipzig), Thomas Fothen (GER/Neuss), Artur Gajek (GER/Berg. Gladbach), Dominik Roels (GER/Köln) Wim Stroetinga (NED/Drachten), Paul Voß (GER/Bielefeld)
Directeur Sportif: Ralf Grabsch (GER)