Team News: Team Sunweb Get Ready For Racing

With racing programs finalised, Team Sunweb (Men, Women and Development) head to a Team Camp in Austria as they enter the final preparation period ahead of the season restart.

Team News: Team Sunweb Get Ready For Racing

With racing programs finalised, Team Sunweb (Men, Women and Development) head to a Team Camp in Austria as they enter the final preparation period ahead of the season restart. Both the Men and Women’s programs season will get underway at Strade Bianche, whilst the Development program will first take to the start line again at Savoie Mont Blanc.

Photo: Team website

Throughout July and early August, the team will reside in the Austrian Alps (2000 metres) in the midst of beautiful surroundings with great training routes. Their hotel will be exclusively for Team Sunweb, with different rider groups from all three programs checking in and out at different periods throughout.

In close cooperation with the facility, extensive precautions regarding health and safety are being taken, so that the team can put the finishing touches to their training, safely and in a top sports environment. To further manage risk, the team will operate in multiple bubbles for rider and staff groups, with no two bubbles allowed to mix during their travel, or time on the camp. In addition, all riders and staff must provide a negative COVID-19 test before travelling to the camp.

Team Sunweb head coach Rudi Kemna said: “We are pleased that the situation regarding COVID-19 is continuing to head in the right direction in Europe and we are really looking forward to the season restart getting underway next month. Throughout lockdown we have remained positive and used our time away from racing in the best possible way, always keeping spirits high within the team during these challenging times. As the season restart approaches it’s now time to put the finishing touches to the hard work that we have been doing across all three programs.”

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Men’s program goals
Kemna adds: “We will work towards specific goals at each of the Grand Tours and target results in the big classics, which we will approach with a strong block of riders. The Tour de France awaits as the first of the Grand Tours on the calendar, where we will aim for stage success through sprints and offensive racing. The goal at the Giro d’Italia will be the GC and difficult sprints. While the Vuelta a España will be about the development of our young and promising talents, with a few of them getting the opportunity to make their grand tour debut.”

Tour de France
Line-up: Søren Kragh Andersen (DEN), Nikias Arndt (GER), Tiesj Benoot (BEL), Cees Bol (NED), Marc Hirschi (SWI), Joris Nieuwenhuis (NED), Nicholas Roche (IRL), Jasha Sütterlin (GER)

After July’s Team Camp, a similar squad will tackle the classics at Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo then head to the Dauphine ahead of Tour de France, followed by the Flemish classics.

Giro d’Italia
Line-up: Nico Denz (GER), Chris Hamilton (AUS), Jai Hindley (AUS), Wilco Kelderman (NED), Michael Matthews (AUS), Sam Oomen (NED), Casper Pedersen (DEN), Martijn Tusveld (NED)

After July’s Team Camp, a similar squad will head to the Tour of Poland, Il Lombardia, Altitude Camp, Tirreno Adriatico, before heading to the Giro d’Italia. Matthews will also line-up at Milano-Sanremo.

Vuelta a España
Long-list: Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (DEN), Thymen Arensman (NED), Alberto Dainese (ITA), Mark Donovan (GBR), Felix Gall (AUT), Chad Haga (USA), Robert Power (AUS), Nicholas Roche (IRL), Martin Salmon (GER), Michael Storer (AUS), Florian Stork (GER), Ilan van Wilder (BEL)

Women’s program goals
Kemna continued: “Our Women’s program was recently strengthened with the addition of world number one ranked rider, Lorena Wiebes – a great boost to the team. Our ambition to become the best women’s team in professional cycling remains unchanged and continuing in the way that they started our season, we will go for strong results in the classics and Giro Rosa.”

Development program goals
To conclude, Kemna said: “Stage racing remains the focus for our Development program as the team go for solid racing at Savoie Mont Blanc, the U23 Giro, L’Isard and the Tour of Croatia. This year we can benefit and hopefully enhance their learning, as new regulations mean that they can race alongside our WorldTour riders, with line-ups able to be a combination both the Men’s and Development program at races at Pro series and Europe Tour categories.”