Tim Wellens finds back his best legs, right on time.
GvA article Belang article
Broken Record in Training
Tim has had a few bad weeks behind his back. Last week he could not complete a five hour training. Even worse, after 45' he was back at his front door. He chose to undergo a blood examination but the latter did not show anything alarming. Only rest could relieve him. He considered himself lucky to have a physical trainer like Paul Van den Bosch [famous for partnering Sven Nys] who would temper him down rather than shake him up. His advice was the only one that works: rest rest & rest.
Last weekend was a turning point, from one day to another, the punch in the legs came back. He swallowed three HQ training in a row. He crushed his personal record in a one-minute full-speed sprint on the Col de la Madone. It gave him self-confidence. But last year he was good in Plouay and knew he wouldbe top in Canada. This year, he was not good in Plouay, so his condition for the Canadians still is a question mark.
Quebec is the one that fits him less, he knows from experience. In Montreal, it's mainly waiting till the last lap, there are two critical point on the circuit where he has to make the difference if he wants to win.
Right after Montreal, he takes the plane back to race the Wallonia GP which he thinks the route is taylor-made for him but is curious whether this also proves to be the case in racing conditions.
The Tour of Lombardy is the last race of his season. Tim is glad with the route to Bergamo, which suits him better than the one to Como. Besides, he insisted on having the same hotel as last year which he liked, especially for the food. The team accepted immediately, which gives him extra pressure to do something in Lombardy.
Everywhere I Start I Want to Win, So Simple That is
Yesterday it rained cats & dogs in Quebec and that is how Tim took his team along for a tour in the city while Boonen trained on the rolls in a tent. For Tim and Tiesj Benoot, it had better rained today though, said Herman Frison.
It seems it's gonna be a dry edition though.
Tim however argues that though he got his best results under the rain he does not find it pleasant to race under such conditions. Yet he admits to not being able to race under 35°C, he loses too much salt. He hopes to improve that, by training in the heat.
After Rio, he had headache and stomach-ache. It's unrelated to stress, unlike some thought.
He feels like hes evolving into a rider for the hard classics but who can also race a GC in Paris-Nice or the Tour of the Low Countries. Not in the Dauphiné, theres too much vertical gains, there. He's got too much muscles to compete with the true climbers. But then again it's an asset for the classics.
For the first time he's talking about his ove to Monaco. "It's not just for tax reasons". He can specifically train in the mountains. He still has problems with more than 30' climbing efforts.
There's talk about a third race in Canada for next year. Tim did not seem aware of it but if true, it's 100% sure he's not racing the Tour of Spain next year. More race there, the merrier for him.
GvA article Belang article
Broken Record in Training
Tim has had a few bad weeks behind his back. Last week he could not complete a five hour training. Even worse, after 45' he was back at his front door. He chose to undergo a blood examination but the latter did not show anything alarming. Only rest could relieve him. He considered himself lucky to have a physical trainer like Paul Van den Bosch [famous for partnering Sven Nys] who would temper him down rather than shake him up. His advice was the only one that works: rest rest & rest.
Last weekend was a turning point, from one day to another, the punch in the legs came back. He swallowed three HQ training in a row. He crushed his personal record in a one-minute full-speed sprint on the Col de la Madone. It gave him self-confidence. But last year he was good in Plouay and knew he wouldbe top in Canada. This year, he was not good in Plouay, so his condition for the Canadians still is a question mark.
Quebec is the one that fits him less, he knows from experience. In Montreal, it's mainly waiting till the last lap, there are two critical point on the circuit where he has to make the difference if he wants to win.
Right after Montreal, he takes the plane back to race the Wallonia GP which he thinks the route is taylor-made for him but is curious whether this also proves to be the case in racing conditions.
The Tour of Lombardy is the last race of his season. Tim is glad with the route to Bergamo, which suits him better than the one to Como. Besides, he insisted on having the same hotel as last year which he liked, especially for the food. The team accepted immediately, which gives him extra pressure to do something in Lombardy.
Everywhere I Start I Want to Win, So Simple That is
Yesterday it rained cats & dogs in Quebec and that is how Tim took his team along for a tour in the city while Boonen trained on the rolls in a tent. For Tim and Tiesj Benoot, it had better rained today though, said Herman Frison.
It seems it's gonna be a dry edition though.
Tim however argues that though he got his best results under the rain he does not find it pleasant to race under such conditions. Yet he admits to not being able to race under 35°C, he loses too much salt. He hopes to improve that, by training in the heat.
After Rio, he had headache and stomach-ache. It's unrelated to stress, unlike some thought.
He feels like hes evolving into a rider for the hard classics but who can also race a GC in Paris-Nice or the Tour of the Low Countries. Not in the Dauphiné, theres too much vertical gains, there. He's got too much muscles to compete with the true climbers. But then again it's an asset for the classics.
For the first time he's talking about his ove to Monaco. "It's not just for tax reasons". He can specifically train in the mountains. He still has problems with more than 30' climbing efforts.
There's talk about a third race in Canada for next year. Tim did not seem aware of it but if true, it's 100% sure he's not racing the Tour of Spain next year. More race there, the merrier for him.
Valgren ftw.
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