Paris-Roubaix winner was keen to ride as a domestique
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Niki Terpstra on stage 3 of the Tour of Britain(Image credit: Rob Lampard)
Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Niki Terpstra leads the peloton up Haytor(Image credit: Rob Lampard)
Niki Terpstra rides into Brighton(Image credit: Rob Lampard)
The 2014 World Championships parcours isn't one that ideally suits the characteristics of cobbles specialist Niki Terpstra but the Dutchman expressed surprise at his omission from the national team for the 254.8km road race.
The 30-year-old will still attend the Worlds but only in the capacity of an Omega Pharma-QuickStep rider for the team time trial on Saturday.
"It's not an ideal course for me, it's obvious," Terpstra told NOS.nl. "We have several riders who could do better on hilly parcours, but I still could have participated in the race in a different role."
Terpstra has only ridden the Worlds road race on two previous occasion, in 2012 and 2010, but was selected for the time trial last year where he finished 25th.
Referring to a conversation he had with national coach Johan Lammerts, Terpstra explained that he was more than willing to ride in a supporting role for leader such as Bauke Mollema.
"We've talked about it two weeks ago and I suggested to Johan that I would like to ride in supporting role back then," he said. "It was his decision and surely it was well thought out. But still, as a Dutch rider I would like to be a part of the national team."
Lammerts said that he believes the team is well balanced and wasn't swayed by Terpstra's comments.
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"I have it all planned and I thought that this would be the best team," he said. "It's about specific qualities combined with the parcours that they will face."
The 2015 Worlds in Richmond, United States will feature several cobble sections and Lammerts expects Terpstra to be one of the key riders on a parcours that is ideally suited to his characteristics.
"Absolutely. I see him next year as leader, along with Lars Boom," Lammerts said of Terpstra's future with the national team. "It's a course that fits much better with the qualities that Niki, Lars and Sebastian Langeveld have."
Dutch 2014 World Championships road race: Dylan van Baarle (Garmin-Sharp), Stef Clement (Belkin Pro Cycling), Tom Dumoulin (Giant Shimano), Wilco Kelderman (Belkin Pro Cycling), Steven Kruijswijk (Belkin Pro Cycling), Bauke Mollema (Belkin Pro Cycling), Wout Poels (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Tom Jelte Slagter (Garmin-Sharp), Pieter Weening (Orica-Green Edge)
