Vaughters: Kreder is the perfect rider for Amstel Gold

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Michel Kreder is enjoying the fruits of a rested winter and with two stages at the Tour Méditerranéen in his pocket, will be heading to the Spring Classics with a high level of confidence. Kreder had led the race heading into the final stage but lost out to Jon Tiernan-Locke (Endura Racing). Kreder still managed a second place overall finish, as well as winning the young rider classification.

Garmin manager, Jonathan Vaughters, has long been an admirer of Kreder’s talent, signing him in 2010 from the Rabobank Continental team. Now, on the eve of the Classics, he has tipped the 24-year-old as a future man for the Ardennes and those pipe dreams could become a reality, after what had a been a difficult year for Kreder.

"His performances have been in line with the type of rider he his. He had a pretty incredible year as a neo-pro and then last year he wasn't so good. He came off a tough Vuelta and then instead of resting he did lots of Six Days in the winter. He basically started last year half cooked and he never really got going again,”" Vaughters told Cyclingnews.

Two wins in the Med do not transform a rider into a Classics star but Vaughters still believes that Kreder has the necessary promise to deliver.

"He's the perfect rider for Amstel Gold," said Vaughters. "He's good with small technical roads, crosswinds, and he's really good at uphill sprints. He can climb well, too. He's incredibly good technically so he’s a real racer. He doesn't have a huge engine but he’s really explosive on short climbs and he’ll never lose a wheel."