Perhaps its because he’s coming back for the most injury-affected year of his career thus far, but Danish rider Matti Breschel has taken the decision to avoid a race in 2012 that he has previously targeted. The Rabobank competitor will deliberately miss out on the drama and mayhem of the Hell of the North, opting instead to aim for different events.
“Paris-Roubaix is the largest and most beautiful race, but now we will try something new, says Matti Breschel to DR Sporten. “It's something we've talked about the last few months and a decision I have taken with the team to try something different. Now the focus is on the Amstel Gold Race and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. I think that on paper they will be good for me…it will be interesting to try something new.”
Breschel’s decision will not have been taken lightly, given his performances in past editions of Paris-Roubaix. He placed fourteenth in 2007 and tenth in 2009, showing he has the power and bike control necessary to fight for a strong finish.
However there is some logic in his decision. He lost much of 2011 to a knee problem and then a fractured hand, the latter injury ruling him out of the world road race championships on home soil in Denmark. Paris-Roubaix is a race with a high potential for crashing; missing it would see him play things safely.
Furthermore, Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège are hillier Classics, and these would in theory help him test himself on a tougher course prior to chasing the rainbow jersey towards the end of next season. The worlds race in Limburg will travel over some of the same roads as Amstel, and this too gives him reason to change his Classics programme.
Breschel has finished second and third in the worlds road race, and has set winning the event as a major career goal.