Wouter Weylandt will finally have the backing of the team in sprints - as long as Tom Boonen isn't around. Weylandt is fast, as he had proven by winning stage 17 of the 2008 Vuelta a España. But so far he has been in the shadows of Boonen and other sprinters.
"Finally!" he said to Sporza during the team presentation today. "No Allan Davis or others who the team will work for if Tom isn't around. Now it is for me," a smiling Weylandt said.
"I am very happy with that change, but I know I still have to progress," the Belgian added. And he has to get healthy again, before he can think about raising his arms on the line. "Unfortunately I still have pain in my left knee. Even the doctors don't know what causes it."
He wants to overcome the injury as quickly as possible, but knows the start will be delayed. "I hope for a good spring, but I know already that the opening weekend [Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne - ed.] comes too early."
There are two races he has picked where he wants to do well. "I want to show myself in Paris-Roubaix and in the Belgian Championships."