Lieuwe Westra wants the the old version of himself to be back in 2016. "With the way I feel and live now, I shuld be in the mix for the GC win in Paris-Nice,” he tells Friesch Dagblad.
No Giro and probably no Olympics but Paris-Nice and the national time trial championships. Lieuwe Westra again wants to take his own chances and has an idea about goals for the season. The Dutchman especially wants to win at races where he also scored big during his Vacansoleil time.
The first major target is Paris-Nice. In 'the race to the sun', he was second in 2012 and now he wants to go for the victory. "With the way I feel and live now, I shuld be in the mix for the GC win in Paris-Nice.”
He will build for the French race at the Tour Down Under and the stage races in Dubai and Qatar. Then he will combine the Flemish spring (E3, Gent-Wevelgem, Three Days of De Panne, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix) with the Ardennes spring (Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège) before starting in the Tour de Romandie, the Tour of Belgium and the National Championships.
“On paper, Tom Dumoulin is the best in the time trial," said the two-time national champion against the clock. “But I want to go for that red-white-blue jersey again.”
Westra will not be at the start of the Giro in the Netherlands. It is not yet known which grand tours he will do.
His season will start at the six-day Tour Down Under. In the Australian WorldTour race, the 33-year-old rouleur is aiming for the top ten.
“It is difficult to assess where you stand at the beginning of the year, but my weight is good and I feel fine. I will not just let the others drop me and if that happens, I'm going to attack.
“Many people might think I'm will ride anonymously in the service of a leader for another year but I have other plans.”
30.03: The Bueng Si Fai |
30.03: Gran Premio Miguel Indurain |
30.03: Volta Limburg Classic |
31.03: Ronde van Vlaanderen |
31.03: Ronde van Vlaanderen |
29.03 - 01.04: Ster van Zuid Limburg |
01.04: Gran Premio del Perdono |
01.04: Ronde de Mouscron |
01.04: Giro del Belvedere |
02.04: G.P. Palio del Recioto |
Nicolai STEENSEN 34 years | today |
Milton WYNANTS VAZQUEZ 52 years | today |
Bérengère STAELENS 39 years | today |
Ander BARRENETXEA 32 years | today |
Jenning HUIZENGA 40 years | today |
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