Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner Ian Stannard believes that Team Sky are on the cusp of claiming their first spring Monument with Geraint Thomas, Bradley Wiggins and himself all vying for what would be a landmark win for the British squad.
Stannard crashed out of contention in last weekend’s Milan-San Remo but the squad were active throughout key sections of the race with Thomas, Luke Rowe and Ben Swift all featuring. Despite missing out on a top-ten result, the team are in buoyant mood after Stannard’s memorable defence of his Omloop Het Nieuwsblad crown last month.
“That win is in our grasp and it’s realistic. They’re hard races and they’re solid races, you need some luck but we have a few guys capable now,” he told Cyclingnews when we sat down with him the night before E3 Harelbeke.
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“I felt good in Milan-San Remo and was just a little unlucky with the slippery roads. I wanted to be there to help the team and get what I wanted out of the race. I don’t really feel like I raced but I had good sensations so I’m confident for E3 and the rest of the Classics. I managed to stay upright and, apart from a bruise from hitting the barrier, I was fine.”
Having had time to regroup and refocus after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Stannard has built up his base with Tirreno-Adriatico providing a week of intense racing. It has put him ahead of where he was when he singlehandedly took about Etixx-QuickStep’s challenge in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad but for E3 and Sunday’s Gent-Wevelgem he may ride in a support role for Thomas. The Welshman is set to lead the team in E3 and Flanders, while Stannard has marked Paris-Roubaix as the race that suits him the best and along with Bradley Wiggins he will ride as a supported leader.
“I’m ahead of where I was then. I’ve done Tirreno and I’ve trained hard. I’m in a good place and I’m mindful that there’s a long way to go and it’s where Roubaix where I really want to perform. I’m still training through this period but I’m hoping it all comes out in the next few weeks. I just want to do my job as well as possible.”
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