ProTeam Intermarché-Lotto looks ahead to the Race to the Sun: “Like riding a classic every day”

“There’s cold, there’s wind, it’s hectic and there are crashes every year. Every stage feels like a classic. Paris–Nice is the toughest of all stage races, if you ask me. Mentally, you have to be ready for battle every single day.” Team director Maxime Bouet is clear: it will not be an easy week. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t go for it. We may not have a rider targeting the general classification, but we can race aggressively and in an attractive way. We’ll try something every day.”

Intermarché-Lotto will head to France on Sunday with Jonas Rutsch, Joshua Giddings, Roel van Sintmaartensdijk, Luca Van Boven, Milan Menten, Sebastien Grignard and Vito Braet. There could be opportunities for the sprinters, but also for early breakaways. Bouet: “I saw a strong Vito Braet during the Opening Weekend. Milan Menten should also be able to show something in the opening stage in Achères, near Paris. That stage is usually chaotic. There’s often strong crosswinds and plenty of street furniture. In stage two we might get echelons. Although… very little wind is forecast this time, unlike in other editions. That could create sprint opportunities again, and then I’d also like to see what our young Joshua Giddings can show.”

Paris–Nice also features a team time trial this year. Bouet is pleased about that. “Because it’s about much more than just time trialling. A team time trial creates atmosphere within a team and strengthens the team spirit. I’m really looking forward to it.” According to the sports director, the best chances for Intermarché-Lotto may come in stage six, between Barbentane and Apt. “On paper, that’s a stage for the breakaway riders, where I hope to see a strong Jonas Rutsch and Sebastien Grignard.”

Race ready

Jonas Rutsch himself is finally ready to race again after his heavy crash in the Tour Down Under. He has just completed a block of altitude training in Colombia and feels fully prepared for the next part of his season. “The part that was in my own hands, I took care of,” he explains. “I feel ready, race ready. Over the past weeks I followed everything to 200 percent. Down to the smallest details. Nothing is standing in the way of a good week. I’ve ridden Paris–Nice a few times already and I can confirm it’s one of the toughest stage races I know. Everyone arrives motivated and in top form, especially this early in the season. Fireworks guaranteed.”

“I get better with every stage. I’ll focus on the early breakaways, so in the first stages I don’t see many opportunities for myself. I’ll look for my chances later in the week. Of course, with a breakaway you always need a bit of luck. It’s not only about you. You need to find the right group and everything has to work well together. But I hope something good can come out of it. After the Tour Down Under I struggled with my injuries for quite a while, but that’s under control now. I followed the team on television because I wanted to see exactly how everyone was racing together and what the tactics were. I saw some good things. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Picture: PhotoNews