Robert Gesink will be Rabobank’s big leader at the Tour de France this season, with Denis Menchov having moved to Team Geox at the end of 2010. The Dutchman is still just 24 years of age, yet has highlighted his promise with very encouraging performances in various events, including sixth overall in both the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, plus victory in the ProTour Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal and in the Giro dell’Emilia. He has also thrice been best young rider in the Tour of California.
With a very mountainous Tour in store, this season may be Gesink’s time to push for a podium finish. With that in mind, he’s working out the best possible preparation for the race. That will include two sessions in thin air, as well as the eschewing of the Tour de Suisse in favour of the Criterium du Dauphiné.
“Before and after the Dauphiné I will slot in altitude training,” he told De Telegraaf. “I have also decided with the team staff to go to the Dauphiné instead of the Tour de Suisse as I think the parcours is very difficult. I don’t think it would be the ideal preparation.”
With a view to continuing his development and strengthening, Gesink is considering riding two Grand Tours this season. He previously started both in 2009, but that was because he withdrew from the Tour de France early on due to a wrist injury. All things going well, he’ll finish both this year. The final decision on that is however yet to be made.
"First I must wait and see how I come out of the Tour de France,” he explained. “There is no point in making any final choices now. I am very curious as to how the combination of two Tours in one year would turn out.”
Gesink will begin his season tomorrow in the Tour of Oman. After that, he will contest the Tirreno Adriatico in Italy. It is probable that he will also ride the Ardennes Classics, as will many of the Tour de France contenders, but that will be confirmed closer to those races. He was third in the Amstel Gold race in 2009 and would get great satisfaction out of winning the race on home soil.