Gerrans targets Ardennes Classics after Tour Down Under victory

Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge) claimed the second WorldTour victory of his career on Sunday at the Tour Down Under, and now will target the Ardennes Classics in April.

Gerrans has a solid history at the races in Belgium and Holland, finishing third at Amstel Gold last year and also boasting top 10 finishes at Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2009.

Converting those results into a win would see Gerrans again enter the record books as only the third Australian to achieve the ultimate success at the Ardennes, following in the footsteps of long-time mentor Phil Anderson and Cadel Evans.

"The next big goal for Gerro is the Ardennes, and if he can nail one of those three and then something again in summer, then he'll be in the top 10 [in the world at the end of the year]," explained GreenEdge sports director Matt White.

"He's more than ready and I think we have a solid team around him," White continued. "He knows he will be our sole leader at Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège... they suit him a lot more.

"We might even rest Simon in Flèche Wallone just go he can concentrate more on Liège-Bastogne-Liège."

Following some down time after his win in Adelaide, Gerrans will have what he calls a ‘traditional approach' to the Ardennes, with his next race the Tour of Sardinnia followed by Paris-Nice, Milan-San Remo, and then finally the Tour of the Basque Country.

Gerrans says that he is "definitely" on target to claim victory in one of the three.

"I've been edging closer and closer every year," the 31-year-old Australian road champion explained. "I got a third place at Amstel last season and I had fantastic shape at Liege, I was a little disappointed in my place there so I think if I can just keep building on that I'll get closer and closer to the win."