Peloton Cafe || Team Giant-Shimano Logo Giant-Shimano previews a huge March of racing! Driedaagse van West Vlaanderen: 07 – 09/03/2014 The team performed well here last year as Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE) came second and this year some new young riders will be seeing what they can come up with. The race gets underway with an opening 7km prologue?on Friday?followed by two road stages over the weekend which on paper should come down to sprints, however the spring weather in Belgium will surely play its part in the outcome. Coach Addy Engels (NED) said: “We have a few of our new riders lining up in Belgium and we will firstly see what Chad Haga (USA) and Lawson Craddock (USA) can come up with in the opening TT. “For the two road stages we will be looking to ride for a sprint as we have Luka Mezgec (SLO), Tom Veelers (NED) and Jonas Ahlstrand (SWE) all of whom are capable of a result here. But of course the weather could play its part so we will be reactive to that.” Strade Bianche: 08/03/2014 The semi-classic features several sections of gravel roads, orSterrati,?and heavily favours the attacking riders with it’s rolling parcours and off-road difficulties. The Team Giant-Shimano line-up for this one-day race is a young but powerful one and with Warren Barguil (FRA) who showed good form in France at the weekend as well as Tom Dumoulin (NED) and Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE) who have had?strong performances so far, so ?the team has several cards to play. Coach, Aike Visbeek (NED) said: “Some of our riders are coming out of a training period and it is a young selection too so we will see what the guys can come up with out on the road. “We will make a plan around Warren, Tobias and Tom D, who have all shown already this season that they have had a good winter period preparing for this year and are already getting results. “Anything can happen in this race though so we will keep our options open.” Roma Maxima: 09/03/2014 The line-up for this race is the same as the previous day’s Strade Bianche, with the exception of Thomas Damuseau (FRA) replacing Tom Peterson (USA). Simon Geschke (GER) returns here after finishing eighth last year and will be looking to improve on that result at the end of 195km of up and down parcours. “We will head into?Sunday?looking to support Simon after he showed that he can finish well here last year,” said coach Aike Visbeek (NED). “It will also depends on how?Saturday’s?race pans out and how everyone recovers from that. “We have Johannes Fr?hlinger (GER) here as road captain to help guide the younger riders, and an attacking line-up around him. Everyone’s form is building nicely so it should be an exciting race.” Paris-Nice:? 09 – 16/03/2012 The week long race starts in central northern France, in Mantes-la-Jolie before making it’s way down to Nice on the south-east coast over eight stages and 1,447km. The first few stages will be opportunities for the sprinters to test their legs, and with John Degenkolb (GER) and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (RSA) in the Team Giant-Shimano line-up there’s a strong reason to ride for a sprint. The route become more testing as the week goes on and the final two stages?on Saturday?and?Sunday?will be the final test in the hills just north of Nice before the overall winner is crowned. “The main focus early on will be the first three stages and sprinting with John, especially after the good form he showed in February,” said coach Christian Guiberteau (FRA). “For the more difficult stages we will look to go out on the attack and try and get in the breakaway. There are lots of opportunities over the eight days so it should be a good race.” Le Samyn des Dames: 05/03/2014 The race sees Claudia H?usler (GER) start her first race for the team and?Saturday’s?winner Amy Pieters (NED) is also present. Coach, Ruud Verhagen (NED) said: “We have had a great start to the season and we will obviously be looking to continue on this good run of form but it is becoming harder and harder as the other teams are now looking at us to do a lot of the work. “It will be a difficult race to control and we will have to react to the breakaways and look to be aggressive. If we get into the right breaks we can go for another podium.” Omloop van het Hageland: 09/03/2014 The race is another good opportunity to keep building towards the bigger spring classics and Kirsten Wild (NED) and Lucy Garner (GBR) return to the team here after not racing Le Samyn during the week. Coach Ruud Verhagen (NED) said: “Much like Le Samyn?on Wednesday, this will be another hard race to control, especially with all the other teams now watching us a lot more. “The weather could play a role in the outcome of the race as well so we will be ready to race from the front as usual and to stay alert.” Dorpenomloop Rucphen: 09/03/2014 After several months of preparation, training and learning, the Development team will kick off looking to get back up to race speed as soon as possible. Coach, Dirk Reuling (NED) said: “The main goal for this opening weekend for the Development team will be to work together, and build on the good team spirit that is already present in the team. We will also be looking to stay out of trouble as the team has been hit by a few injuries. “We were planning on riding for a sprint with Christian Bertilsson (SWE) but he is injured along with a couple of others so we are starting with six riders rather than eight. “Jenthe Biermans (BEL) is a strong sprinter but he is just 18 and in his first year as a senior so we will see if he is still there at the finish. If the races split up as they often do here then we will adapt to the situation and see what we can do. “The main early-season goals for the team come a little later so we will be focusing on getting into the rhythm of racing this weekend and building for later on.
