Rabobank made two blockbuster signings ahead of the 2011 season - Luis Leon Sanchez for anything that goes uphill and Matti Breschel for most everything that goes uphill and anything that has the word cobble associated with it.
The Breschel signing was a major success for the team. Breschel's continual upward trajectory, combined with an already young, powerful squad could be the last piece of the puzzle for the underachieving Classics team to take its spot as one of the feared one day teams in cycling.
The possibilities for spring took a major hit when Matti Breschel had surgery on his knee following his runner up finish at the World Championships in Geelong though - to an extent where it was not known whether he'd even be able to take part in the Spring Classics in 2011.
The initial uncertainty turned to good news and currently, it looks like Breschel should be ready, if perhaps only able to get to top form at the very last possible second, Easter Sunday, April 3rd, for the Tour of Flanders.
Last year's winner of the Dwars door Vlaanderen is hesitant to make any predictions, and rightly so, as his comeback is just beginning to gain steam. Looking back at the year before though, he feels that he's not too terribly far behind his condition of 2010.
"I do not think I'm missing out on too much," said the 2009 Danish National Champion to feltet.dk. "I am missing of course working on my legs, but I have strength trained for the last long while and that has preserved my muscle strength in my legs. When I think back, I didn't train too crazy last winter, so I think that I should probably be able to catch up quickly. Of course, it will be hard though, it gets really, really hard when you get near to the Classics."
While Breschel has put on a brave face for the duration of his knee saga, the young Dane admits that it has been hard enduring the better part of a winter sans bike.
"It's obviously frustrating, because I had been looking forward to a fresh start and obviously did not expect this injury. It's just annoying, and that's what happened. Rabobank is thankfully behind me, and they back me up and say that I should take things quietly, so I can return peacefully. They're at least not putting pressure on me."
There's no question that Breschel's return to form will be one of great interest. If he's able to get back to top condition in time for Holy Week, there's no question that he'll be a rider to reckon with on the cobbles of both Flanders and Roubaix. Not only that, his abilities, added to his Rabobank team's assets, will certainly give the team a huge weapon in an already potent arsenal.