Six riders of Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team were busy with parcour recon of the next Team Time Trial World Championship, which takes place In Valkenburg (Hol).
TT world champ Tony Martin, Bert Grabsch, Michal Kwiatkowski, Tom Boonen, Niki Terpstra, and the young Guillaume Van Keirsbulck did the recon from Sittard to the Cauberg.
"It was an interesting experience for our riders," Sports Director Tom Steels said. "The parcour is fast, but the Cauberg in the final kilometers will be the key moment of the race. For the entire TT you have to ride really 'a block,' but at the same time, the guys will have to save some energy for the Cauberg. It won't be an easy time trial. The team work and the right pace will be fundamental. That's why we asked Van Keirsbulck to come — so we could really simulate the race. In fact, the team time trial will be ridden with six athletes. Guillaume had a good experience today, that could be important for the future. Concerning Worlds, we have nine riders who are named for the race. We will decide the six-man squad only after La Vuelta, taking into account their condition at that time."
During the afternoon, Martin, Grabsch and Kwiatkowski did a recon of individual TT parcour as well.
"The parcour is different compared to the team time trial" continued Steels. " Our riders were happy with what they had seen. It was a useful day for them prior to Worlds."