While most of his peers have enjoyed success this season, American Tejay van Garderen (BMC) has yet to show himself as one of the top contenders for the Tour de France, but is looking for results at the Tour de Suisse -which begins on Saturday, to demonstrate that he is a podium favourite.
"I think I've shown consistency and solid form. My level is high, but I just haven't had that outstanding result," van Garderen said from a training camp in Andorra last week. "I think now is the time the form really needs to be there, and start ratcheting it up that one extra level. From what I've seen in training I'm there, we just have to test it in these next races."
In 2015, the BMC rider was rarely mentioned in the list of favourites behind the 'fab four' Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali and Nairo Quintana, but forced himself into the mix with a strong first week and a team time trial that put him in second place overall. Riding in a position for the final podium, he fell ill and then dropped out on stage 17, just days from Paris.
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Other Tour de France rivals like Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) have enjoyed more success - Pinot won two stages and the GC in Criterium International, won the time trial in Romandie and took second overall. Van Garderen has only a single victory - the time trial in Ruta del Sol - and second place overall there so far, in contrast to last season, where he finished second overall at Tour of Oman and the Criterium du Dauphine, and won a stage in Cataluyna.
The Ruta del Sol was a highlight for his spring and Van Garderen says he is on track since then.
"It's too bad it didn't snowball from there with more victories but I've had some solid results since then. I'll take another chance at Tour de Suisse, try to get another win - either a stage win or a high GC place, then it's full gas for the Tour."
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