LottoNL-Jumbo aiming high at Volta a Catalunya

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LottoNL-Jumbo head to the Volta a Catalunya stage race from Monday with a four-pronged attack for general classification and stage wins. Dutchmen Robert Gesink, Wilco Kelderman, Steven Kruijswijk and Slovenian Primoz Roglic. The team enjoyed a stage win and the KOM classification in 2014 with Stef Clement while last year Kelderman won the best young rider classification.

This year though sports director Frans Maassen has set the bar high, explaining that with the team of climbers LottoNL-Jumbo are fielding he believes a top result is within reach.

"We couldn't bring a better team for this race," said Maassen. "These men are familiar with the area, as well. The level will be very high, but we have a great team to be able to compete.

"Robert Gesink is our front man, he has the biggest chance to deliver a good general classification. Besides that, we want to win a stage. We are going to Catalunya with very strong riders, but they don't win races easily. The best would be if they could profit from each other and win a stage."

The race is Gesink's third of the season having placed 25th overall at Volta ao Algarve and 22nd at Strade Bianchi and the 29-year-old is keen on improving upon his sixth place at Volta a Catalunya back in 2013.

"I've finished a tough period of training and I'm ready for this race," said Gesink added. "It's going to be a very hard race because of the profile, but also because of the race's line-up. It's the first WorldTour race that I mentioned as a target. Wilco Kelderman and I want to go for a good result in the general classification."

Roglic's fifth place at Volta ao Algarve ensures the former ski jumper will be counted upon when the roads start ascending while Kruijswijk will be looking to test himself against several potential GC rivals for the Giro d'Italia. Completing the team is Martijn Keizer, Bert-Jan Lindeman, and neo-pro's Koen Bouwman and Alexey Vermeulen who will be making their WorldTour debuts at the  Volta a Catalunya.

LottoNL-Jumbo for the Volta a Catalunya: Koen Bouwman, Robert Gesink, Martijn Keizer, Wilco Kelderman, Steven Kruijswijk, Bert-Jan Lindeman, Primoz Roglic and Alexey Vermeulen.