Well satisfied with its efforts in the Portuguese stage race, Volta ao Algarve went to Michael Valgren Sunday home to Monaco to prepare for Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, which he won last year.
The past week, however, he endured with the disease and has for several days not touched his bike, causing his hopes to defend his title in the tough races are weakened.
– As the defending champion you have to ask to start with a high level of ambition, and I do. But I must just say that I, unfortunately, is set a bit back here in the past week, says Valgren Extra Magazine in a telephone interview.
– It is a mess, but I have been recuperating well, so I hope, that the disease is gone, when the beginning goes on Saturday.
– however, I probably need to lower expectations a little. Had I not been suffering with illness right up to the race, I had gone to the task with a belief that I could win again.
– Now I must see how your body it has after a week of illness and not so much cycling. It is a bad prelude, but it is now once the circumstances, said Valgren.
Michael Valgren running over the line as number four on the 16. stage in last year’s Tour de France. His teammate Magnus Cort won stage. Photo: Ritzau Scanpix
He says that several other people from his Dimension Data-crew was sick during the race in Portugal. Also Team Sunwebs Søren Kragh Andersen, who ought to be counted among the favourites in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad after his classy overall second place in Portugal, have been sick and have had to cancel the belgian race.
– There might have been something in the air, and then presses his body a little too much, then take it easier against the disease. It is tough, but it is just the way it is, they say, Valgren.
the Victory last year earned Valgren tremendous self-confidence, which he utilised in the rest of the season, which featured victory in the classic Amstel Gold Race, and fourth in Flanders Around. He was helped by his strong Astana team, but he looks no worse off now, since he is running the south african Dimension Data.
– We have a super powerful team. Edvald (Boasson Hagen, ed.) is well running is just a klasserytter. We have Julien Vermote, which is vejkaptajn and knows the belgian roads like the back of his hand, and then there Nizzolo, which can also running, said Valgren.
– We have damn a good bunch, I think. Also strong riders who can keep us in the promotion, namely Lars Bak and Rasmus Tiller, and when Bernhard Eisel encounter (after a terrible crash in march of last year, red.), so we have a superhold to the classics.
– It will be great to get started, says Michael Valgren.
——— SPLIT ELEMENT ———
Rasmussen: A big victory in store
Michael Rasmussen (right) in conversation with his old masseur from his time as an active rider on the Rabobank. The picture is taken during the Tour de France in 2017. Photo: Claus Bonnerup.
Ekstra cykelkommentator, Michael Rasmussen, don’t see Valgren as the favorite in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad – illness or not – but he expects great results of Valgren in the year.
– He is a hugely talented cyclist, but the cards were also very much mixed in his favor last year. Astana sat in the majority in the finals in both the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Amstel Gold Race, and he was far from unlucky in the race, says Rasmussen.
– this year he is more on his own, but he’s going to win the race again. It must he, of course, as one of the team’s biggest names. And one of the most expensive. He has the age, experience and the skill to win one of the great victories, and it could well be Flanders Around, as is his stated main objectives in the spring.
