Blanco Pro Cycling will head into Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix with confidence, it says, with its team leaders buoyed by strong performances in last week’s Ronde van Vlaanderen. Although Lars Boom could only managed eleventh place, as he battled for position in the bunch sprint behind the podium finishers, the former cyclocross World champion heads into Paris-Roubaix as one of the team’s four likely contenders.
“During Flanders, we took a big step,” said directeur sportif Jan Boven. We topped up both our morale and self-confidence. Lars and Sep [Vanmarcke] are the leaders but we can also expect certain things from Maarten Wynants and Maarten Tjallingii.”
As a cyclocross specialist - who has ridden the Hell of the North on his cyclocross bike in the past - Boom is hoping that the conditions will be as tough as possible. Recent editions of the race have been dominated by dust, rather than mud on the cobbles, but the Dutchman wants conditions to change this time to help him beat his sixth place of last year.
“I am hoping for rain, then I am fine.” said Boom. “At the finish, if Fabian Cancellara or anyone else makes a break for it, I hope to be able to chase and even make an attack of my own.”
Tjallingii has been the Dutch team’s best finisher in recent years, taking third place in 2011 in the previous incarnation of Rabobank. While Boom and Vanmarcke have been declared team leaders by Boven, the 35-year-old is ready to take his own chance if the opportunity presents itself again.
“We will have a robust line-up at the start,” he said. “I expect a strong result based on what we did in the Tour of Flanders. I hope it’s a tough race. As far as I am concerned, other teams can do the grunt work and we’ll be happy to take advantage. At any rate, I am feeling very much up to it.”
Blanco Pro Cycling for Paris-Roubaix
Lars Boom, Rick Flens, Jos van Emden, Maarten Tjallingii, Sep Vanmarcke, Maarten Wynants, Robert Wagner and Jetse Bol