Wout van Aert’s goal of successful the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix within the coming fortnight won’t be impacted by Visma-Lease a Bike’s sickness and harm points, based on the workforce’s DS, Grischa Niermann.
It was introduced earlier this week that the workforce could be with out Christophe Laporte and Dylan van Baarle for Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday. Laporte is affected by a saddle sore in addition to a abdomen bug and has additionally been dominated out of the Tour of Flanders on Easter Sunday.
Niermann advised Biking Weekly on Tuesday that the lack of Laporte and Van Baarle could be felt however backed the likes of Matteo Jorgenson and Jan Tratnik to fill in for the duo when crunch time within the two Monuments arrives.
“It’s an enormous blow, it is not what we deliberate or what we hoped for however we’ve to reside with it,” Niermann stated. “We even have Tiesj Benoot, Per Strand Hagenes and Jan Tratnik, who crashed onerous lately. For certain the final days completely didn’t go based on plan however we’ve to take care of it.
“It is also a part of life and particularly a part of biking. We nonetheless have a really sturdy workforce and we nonetheless imagine within the guys who’re on the beginning line.
“Hopefully Dylan will likely be okay for Flanders and Christophe will no less than be okay for Roubaix however in fact, this isn’t how we mapped it out once we have been all sitting collectively within the winter and once we deliberate these specific few weeks of the Classics.”
Laporte specifically proved himself to be an enormous asset for the Dutch workforce in final yr’s Classics successful each Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars. Van Baarle received Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2023 and can be himself a former Paris-Roubaix winner.
Regardless of being probably two key allies down on Sunday, Niermann insisted that Van Aert was nonetheless in a superb place and able to problem for victory.
He stated: “He’s in a superb place, he’s mentally in a superb place and he’s feeling recent and match. With Wout, we’re proper within the place that we wish to be and we’ll see if that’s sufficient.
“In the long run if Van der Poel finally ends up being loads stronger and rides away, then there’s not loads you are able to do both with Wout or as a workforce. However we imagine he [Van Aert] is in absolute high form approaching these races now.”
Within the absence of Laporte and Van Baarle, American Matteo Jorgenson will likely be anticipated to fill in alongside Van Aert
(Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
“Now we have a robust workforce and have proven that,” Niermann added. “Jan Tratnik received Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and we’ve acquired Matteo Jorgenson who received Paris-Good and Tiesj Benoot who’s at all times good in these races.
“We even have a number of kids just like the Van Dijke brothers who’ve to return in now, no less than for tomorrow. There are a number of riders who can nonetheless play a task for us within the closing subsequent to Wout van Aert in Flanders.
“However sure, there is no such thing as a secret that we might somewhat this was completely different and have the seven riders that we deliberate to go to Flanders with in December in high form and never injured or sick.”
Because the Classics season rolls on, it has appeared that Lidl-Trek are quickly turning into a power to be reckoned with. Niermann piled reward onto the American workforce, who received Gent-Wevelgem final weekend via Mads Pedersen, and stated he sees them having a serious half to play within the weeks forward.
“Trek did nice in E3 and in addition, in fact, in Gent-Wevelgem,” he stated. “It was actually spectacular and they’ll for certain be a workforce to have a look at. Possibly they are going to be subsequent to us and even be above us because the strongest workforce.
“So we’ll see how the race on Sunday performs out,” he added. “Quite a lot of occasions on the Tour of Flanders it’s the strongest man that wins however, for certain, Lidl-Trek made an enormous impression on us.
“They’re a brilliant sturdy workforce with a whole lot of guys in tremendous high form proper now. Chapeau to them with how they performed it out at Gent-Wevelgem, it was very nice to see.”
