Team LottoNL-jumbo will start the Baloise Belgium Tour on Wednesday with a team full of attackers. Sports Director Nico Verhoeven wants his men to show some attractive racing, bringing Tom Van Asbroeck and Barry Markus for the sprints.

“We’ll definitely see echelons in the first stage, the one after the prologue,” Verhoeven said, knowing that he could count on the help of Weerplaza. “For that day, we have two sprinters with Tom and Barry. Tom Van Asbroeck, Tom Leezer and Maarten Wynants should be able to mix in a day later in the classic stage. During the last two days, we head into the Ardennes and perhaps George Bennett is able to show himself. We want to attack.”

Tom Van Asbroeck will give his all in the sprints. After a good final stage in the Tour of California, the Belgian thinks he should be able to do well in two stages.

“I’m looking forward to the Belgium Tour, as it’s a home race for me,” Van Asbroeck said. “In California it went better every day. I want to continue like that in Belgium. The second and third stages suit me and I’m aiming for a good result together with the team.”

George Bennett will start the Baloise Belgium Tour tomorrow. Team LottoNL-Jumbo withheld the New Zealander from racing the Giro d’Italia after a regular UCI pre-race control showed low cortisol levels. After attending external specialists, the team’s medical staff completed the investigation into Bennett’s low cortisol levels. The conclusion is that his asthma medication caused the low levels.

The UCI would have allowed Bennett to start the Giro with low cortisol levels, however, Team LottoNL-Jumbo adheres to the MPCC (Movement for a Credible Cycling). The rules of the movement force a rider with low cortisol levels to take an eight-day rest. A rider is allowed to return only when he has normal cortisol levels.

After consulting external specialists, the medical staff of Team LottoNL-Jumbo concluded that the slightly lower cortisol levels were caused by his allowed asthma medication. There has not been a health risk while exercising. The medical staff said Bennett is free to race again.

Team line-up:
Tom Van Asbroeck, George Bennett, Tom Leezer, Barry Markus, Timo Roosen, Robert Wagner, Dennis van Winden & Maarten Wynants.