ALULA TOUR 2025, THE WORDS OF PIDCOCK, GROENEWEGEN AND MERLIER AHEAD OF THE RACE
PROFESSIONALS | 27/01/2025 | 18:00
di Federico Guido
Despite the inclusion of a second stage suitable for puncheurs and potential classification leaders, the AlUla Tour remains a race that winks at sprinters who, in these first five racing days of their 2025, will have the opportunity to shake off the rust accumulated during winter and immediately chase those first victories of the year important for confidence and the continuation of the season.
Among the main candidates to contest the sprinter-friendly finishes is undoubtedly Dylan Groenewegen, who, as the all-time leader of the event in terms of partial victories, will certainly try to increase his tally. "The goal is to win a stage. We have three opportunities, we have a very strong group and we are very motivated, so we can't wait to tackle this week," said the 1993 Dutch rider.
"From what we saw in the training camp in Spain, everyone is in excellent form, everyone has the right energy, so I can't wait to try to achieve this goal and see what happens. Extra pressure in these five days? A bit of pressure, in the end, there's a bit in every race. Here particularly because it's the home race of the sponsor we have on our jersey, but personally, I can't wait to face it and have it because I find it's always a positive thing that gives me something extra. The form? I think it was good last year too. This season we've changed some things again that we had already experimented with before last year's Tour where I won a stage before fracturing my collarbone. We've had an entire winter to train, the condition is good, the motivation is there, so we'll see. Me for the sprints and Dunbar for the general classification? Yes, Eddie is the man we'll try to take care of, so we'll try to keep him out of trouble on the flat stages and then in the mountain stages he'll have to do it alone, but I believe the climbs are short enough to show that he's doing well and has the right motivation to bring out the best in himself."
Jayco-AlUla will therefore try to play on two fronts and be present with its men in multiple stages and phases of the race, a strategy that will certainly, in the flat stages, lead them to share the leading positions in the group with Soudal-Quick Step of Tim Merlier, a man eager to raise his arms again in Saudi territory after the double he obtained here in 2024. "This week there are three opportunities for sprinters, there are many good names, so let's say if we manage to win a stage, I'll be happy, even though obviously I think every sprinter here wants more than one success. Let's start by winning one since it's already quite difficult. We have many talented young riders here and I have a lot of confidence in them. We'll see this week how they work together," the Belgian told us, to whom we then pointed out that this is the first season without Patrick Lefevere at the helm of the team.
"Patrick is someone who believed in me from the moment I signed. And still does. He was also the reason I came to Quick-Step because as a child I admired the riders who raced in the past with this team and he was behind them. Patrick is the reason why this team is what it is." Tom Pidcock is instead the reason behind the great interest in Q36.5 this year. The 2024 Olympic MTB champion has in fact chosen to move to Douglas Ryder's team during the offseason and tomorrow, for the first time, after all the rumors and rumors of the last period, he will wear the new colors in the race. "The last few months have gone very well. My training was not affected by what happened because, after all, it was the only thing I could control and that's what I focused on. Really, I spent an excellent winter, I had no interruptions and I put together good form," the British rider confessed to us.
"I want to start well, I'm motivated, but there's good competition and, you know, winning is never easy but I want to try. How is it going with the Italian guys on the team? Here we have Matteo and Nicolò who will play for the sprints. Before joining the team, I didn't know them at all, now I'm getting to know them and I hope they can do well in the sprints this week. Has anything changed around the team in terms of expectations and pressures since my arrival? I don't know. I think everyone is motivated and excited because it's an important moment for the team and we all want to see where we can get to now."
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