Bobbie Traksel has had to withdraw from starting Tour of Flanders on the eve of the race on the advice from the team doctor. The Landbouwkrediet – Euphony rider is a former winner of the under 23 version of the race and had high hopes for this year after getting his season underway with a solid start.
He earned himself two podium sports at Etoile de Bessèges in February and finished a respectable fifteenth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, but then unfortunately illness struck.
“After Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen I had a bronchitis and couldn’t race,” he told VeloNation. “When you have five percent less condition you can’t follow at the top level. My preparation for Flanders has not been top.”
He’s now had a relapse of bronchitis and the team doctor has advised that he take it easy for the next few days.
Traksel won Kuurne Brussel Kuurne in 2010 while riding for Vacansoleil and predicts tomorrow won’t necessarily come down to the favourites Tom Boonen (OmegaPharma-QuickStep) and Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan).
“It will be a hard race, with the best rider as the winner. I think that a rider of the second line will win the race. The new route is too hard and nobody knows how the race will go. Either Sylvain Chavanel or Niki Terpstra will win the race.”
The race has had a facelift in terms of route change and moves the finish from Meerbeke to Oudenaarde, with three different finishing circuits contested in the finale. Last year Nick Nuyens from SaxoBank won the race but will miss out this year due to injury.