On the eve of the inaugural Hammer Series in Limburg, Netherlands, the star riders of the new three-day event assembled for the pre-race press conference and team presentation. Recently knighted Giro d'Italia champion Tom Dumoulin was the star attraction on home soil with the fans reserving the loudest cheers for the Team Sunweb rider.
Still adjusting to life as the first Dutchman to win the Giro, the 26-year-old admitted he is unsure how the race will play out.
"The [Team Sunweb] sports director called me this morning and said: "How do you think Hammer Series is going to be tactically?" and I was like, "Er … I didn't have time to think about that yet. I've been a bit busy," Dumoulin said, adding "It's super-special; I'm finally home. It was an amazing time in the Giro and now an amazing time at home.
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"Physically it's going to be difficult in the first hour [at Hammer Series] tomorrow, but I expect to be good after that and I hope to get some points for the team, because it's a points race and I'll be doing the second half probably after my tired legs from the Giro."
For Movistar's Alex Dowsett, the tactical element to the race will also be a totally new experience although the Briton will start the Hammer Series with fresh legs. Dowsett hasn't raced since the Tour de Romandie in April where he was second the in the Aigle prologue.
"Tactically, everything we know becomes secondary. This is new territory for all of us. It's going to be really interesting," said Dowsett. "We have seen in the last few years that short stages can really be some of the most exciting to watch, and obviously with the stages being so short here, I think it's going to be some real hard racing from the word go.
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