Simultaneously with their preparation for the season's opening Monument, Milan-Sanremo, Intermarché-Wanty is taking part in four classics on Belgian and French roads this week: two races featuring a significant number of cobbled sectors, namely Nokere Koerse (03/19) and the Grand Prix de Denain (03/20), followed by two classics for sprinters with Bredene-Koksijde Classic (03/21) and Cholet Agglo Classic (03/23).
Thirteen sectors are included in the second half of the Grand Prix de Denain, totaling 23 kilometers of cobbles. The 200-kilometer route in the Hauts-de-France region includes some sectors from Paris-Roubaix and has undergone several modifications, including the move of the start and finish area towards the centre of Denain.
Intermarché-Wanty will field three riders at the Grand Prix de Denain who have competed for victory in the last three editions, namely Hugo Page (5th in 2024), Adrien Petit (3rd in 2022), and Taco van der Hoorn (8th in 2023). Directed by Dimitri Claeys and Franky Van Haesebroucke, the selection also includes Huub Artz, Luca Van Boven, as well as the young Elmar Abma and Felix Ørn-Kristoff from Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz.
"I feel my strength improving week by week, after a start to the season that was hampered by illness. That was evident at Paris-Nice, despite the bad weather conditions. I showed that I could compete with the best sprinters for the podium, which gives me a lot of confidence. I hope to aim for victory at Denain; it's the kind of race that motivates me every day. I want to reward the trust the team has placed in me, and the many opportunities I've been given. We'll have other options with an attacker like Taco van der Hoorn, and our captain Adrien Petit will be an important asset to guide the team in positioning, which is crucial in this type of race, and he knows these roads well. I think the approach to the first cobbled sector will be crucial. But we'll be attentive from the start to manage all the important race movements."
"After finishing several stage races at the highest level, I'm eager to start the most important period of the spring. As a perfect prelude to the most prestigious classics, two races of the French Cup are on my schedule this week. The Grand Prix de Denain is always a special race for me, being at home, and especially with dry weather, I'll be able to enjoy my favorite cobbles even more. I'm also very motivated for the Cholet Agglo Tour because, with a less star-studded start list, it promises a more open race. Before Denain, training will be moderate to recover from the demanding week at Paris-Nice, where we faced very difficult weather conditions. With a couple of short efforts this Wednesday, I should be ready for the GP de Denain. I know the terrain well, with my nine participations, but I intend to study the new course meticulously to anticipate the key moments. I can also count on my feeling and experience to guide my teammates in my region. I enjoy this role of captain, to support our young riders, and Hugo and Taco have shown they are in good form to play a role this Thursday."
