Denmark's Matti Breschel misses Vuelta a España, but aims for World Championship title
Matti Breschel will lead Denmark's national team at the World Championships Geelong, Australia, October 3.
"The last two years, Matti has been there to contest the final. He is consistent, and the route seems to fit him well," head coach, Lars Bonde told Denmark's TV2. "I hope and believe that will arrive at the Worlds in top form."
Denmark is trying to win its first elite men's world title in the race's 76-year history. Breschel won the bronze medal at the World Championships in 2008 and last year, he finished in seventh place behind winner Cadel Evans.
"We have great hopes that he can contest the final and thus have a chance to take a medal," Bonde continued. "The goal is a medal."
The 262.7 kilometre course is suited to sprinters, but two climbs – the Ridge (120m) and Aphrasia St. (65m) – and the rise to the finish line may produce unexpected results.
Unfortunately for Breschel, Saxo Bank left him out of its nine-man team for the Vuelta a España. The Spanish three-week race ends two weeks before the World Championships and is a perfect tune up race for any gold medal hopeful.
Matti Breschel announced he wanted to ride the Spanish tour in preparation for the Worlds, but Saxo Bank boss, Bjarne Riis chose Dane Anders Lund as the team's Danish rider instead.
Andy and Fränk Schleck will lead the team and try to win the overall classification. Besides Lund, they will have support from Fabian Cancellara, Stuart O'Grady, Juan Jose Haedo, Dominic Klemme, Terminal, Gustav Larsson and Baden Cooke.
Andy Schleck finished second at the Tour de France in July behind Alberto Contador. His brother Fränk, crashed during stage three to Arenberg, but now is back up to his top form after having raced the Vattenfall Cyclassics Sunday.
The two brothers will leave Saxo Bank at the end of the year to join a new team in their home country of Luxembourg. Breschel was rumoured to join the same team, but chose to join Dutch team Rabobank. He announced the move a day after helping team-mate Jakob Fuglsang win the Tour of Denmark overall and taking a stage for himself.