Having already racked up a victory this month, Linus Gerdemann will have a further chance to test his form when he leads the Milram team in the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol on Sunday.
The 27 year old German topped the podium on the third day of the Mallorca Challenge races, breaking clear on the Col du Soller with Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto) and Manuel Vazquez (Andalucia-Cajasur) and then outsprinting them to win the Trofeo Inca.
He has been slightly ill since then, yet feels that he should be able to ride strongly in his next race.
“In the last few days I have been held back a little by a cold, unfortunately,” he said. “I caught it in in the cool and wet conditions at the Mallorca Challenge. But since my form was quite good going into that race, I am optimistic that I will do well in Andalucia.”
Gerdemann will be the clear leader of the team in the five day, 676 kilometre contest. He will be backed by compatriots Markus Fothen, Johannes Fröhlinger, Christian Knees, Matthias Ruß, Paul Voß and Fabian Wegmann.
Gerdemann has long been recognised as a major talent in German cycling. He had his biggest success in 2007 when he won stage seven of the Tour de France and held the yellow jersey; the following season, he raced to overall success in both the Deutschland Tour and the Tour de l’Ain, as well as taking the Coppa Agostoni.
Big things were expected of him in 2009 but aside from his win in the Bayern Rundfahrt, he never really hit top form. 24th overall in the Tour de France was a reflection of a solid, but relatively anonymous campaign. He’s been training hard this winter and is determined that 2010 will be a better one.
The 56th edition of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol begins on Sunday with a 159.2 kilometre race from Jaén. Three other road stages follow, as well as a 10.9 kilometre individual time trial in Malaga.
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Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol
21.02, stage 1: Jaén - La Guardia de Jaen (159,2 km)
22.02, stage 2: Otura - Cordoba (182,2 km)
23.02, stage 3: Marbella - Benahavis (162,5 km)
24.02, stage 4: Malaga - Malaga I.T.T. (10,9 km)
25.02, stage 5: Torrox Costa - Antequera (161,4 km)
Total distance: 676,2 km