Danish prodigy must ship a few kilos to be competitive in the Giro d’Italia, says director
After following Fränk and Andy Schleck from Saxo Bank-SunGard to Leopard Trek, Jakob Fuglsang had a strong season in 2011; not as strong as it could have been though, says sports directory Kim Anderson. According to the Dane, who will be staying on with the Luxembourg team as it takes on sponsors, riders and staff from the US RadioShack team, Fuglsang – who has long been touted as the biggest prospect in Danish cycling for years – suffered too much in the mountains because he is carrying too much weight.
“He must lose two percent fat,” Andersen told sporten.tv2.dk, “otherwise he won’t be able to be competitive all the way up the steep mountains. If he can lose it and get into really good shape then he can be up there in the top places.”
Should Fuglsang be able to shift the necessary pounds, and find the necessary form, then Andersen will have big plans for the 26-year-old in the Giro d’Italia.
“We will build the team around him,” he said.
With a Grand Tour best of eleventh in this year’s Vuelta a España, a slimmer, more focused Fuglsang could conceivably make the podium of the Giro next year.
Having ridden the Giro d’Italia for himself, Fuglsang will, in all likelihood, ride the Tour de France in his familiar role as a support rider for the Schleck brothers; only though, if he has not left it all on the road in Italy.
“It will be a support role,” Andersen confirmed. “I believe he will be there, but it’s not certain that he will. It’s impossible to say right now because it may well be that he’s completely finished after the Giro.”
In the past two Tours, Fuglsang has ridden in support of Andy Schleck, who has finished in second place both times. If Fuglsang can improve in the way Andersen feels he can, coupled with incoming team manager Johan Bruyneel’s unrivalled return at the race, the Luxembourg rider could well finally find himself on the top step this time around.