Two time Eneco Tour Tim Wellens is aiming to make it hat-trick this week at the final stage race of the 2016 WorldTour calendar. The Lotto Soudal rider won the Tour de Pologne in July and is facing stiff competition for another WorldTour stage win this season.
"I cherish the Eneco Tour very much. In 2014 this race was my first victory so that's why I'm very attached to it. This year it will be harder to win the GC again," said Wellens who will wear the number one dossard for the race. "First of all because I'm not as good as I hoped. After the races in Canada I participated in the GP de Wallonie and I wasn't good. Maybe I had bad legs or maybe I still suffered of the long flight back home. I don't know."
The 25-year-old added that his chances have also been hampered by a change in the parcours.
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"Adding to that, the course of this year's Eneco Tour doesn't suit me very well. The organization decided to cut my favourite stage, the one to La Redoute. Fortunately the time trial and the team time trial are no disadvantage. The circuit of the individual time trial is the same as the one in 2014. Usually I’m not at my best in a flat time trial, but if the legs are good that shouldn't make any difference," he added.
With stage 1 looking like being decided in a bunch sprint, the first test for the GC riders comes on stage 2 with the 9.6km Breda time trial key to Wellens' overall aspirations.
"The stage in the Ardennes is usually the stage where I take over the leader's jersey. This year the finish is in Lanaken and the flat finale will make big time differences almost impossible," he said. "The last stage to Geraardsbergen will be the most important one in this edition but also the bonus seconds and the time trial will be decisive. After the time trial on the second day we'll know immediately if I can set a good overall result or not."
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