Team LottoNL-Jumbo goes to Milano-Sanremo with Sep Vanmarcke as its main gun. The Belgian will debut in the longest one-day-race of the year and be covered by experienced team-mates.

“Sep Vanmarcke, Paul Martens and Enrico Battaglin should be able to play a role in the final of the race and it should be great if Moreno Hofland can do that, as well,” sports director Jan Boven said about the top guns in his line-up.

“Sep is our front man. We think that Milano- Sanremo suits him and that’s why he is participating in this race. He already proved to be in good shape in the last weeks. He showed that he’s quite fast after such a long race as well.”

Poggio

Vanmarcke will receive support from an experienced team. “Paul is in good shape and Enrico has been riding some finals already,” Boven added. “They can play a role on the Poggio. Even they are racing to make a good result. Besides that, Maarten Tjallingii is in the team. He did a fantastic job in the last two editions of Milano-Sanremo. With Tom Leezer and Jos van Emden, we have two more experienced riders who know the race and are able to support the front men until the final kilometres.”

Position

It’s going to be Vanmarcke’s first time in Milano - Sanremo, but he thinks that he’s well prepared. “I did a recon, this week to see how the climbs and downhills are,” Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s front man says. “I know what I can expect, now. I’ve had an intensive week in Paris-Nice as well, so I’m going to Italy in good shape. I except to be amongst the best riders at the Poggio. I want to have a good position there to go for a nice result.”

Line-up:

Tom Van Asbroeck, Enrico Battaglin, Jos van Emden, Moreno Hofland, Tom Leezer, Paul Martens, Maarten Tjallingii and Sep Vanmarcke.

Sports director:

Jan Boven.