Fourth at the Omloop and third at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, Belkin’s Sep Vanmarcke is a man on a cobbled mission in 2014 as he bids to erase the hurt of missing out on Paris-Roubaix victory in dramatic circumstances last year. The Dutch team have announced a strong line-up for the first cobbled Classic of the season, with Vanmarcke backed by compatriot Maarten Wynants, and five Dutchmen including Tom Leezer and Jetse Bol.
Despite his Paris-Roubaix near-miss, Vanmarcke’s record in Harelbeke does not yet include a podium finish – a fourth and a fifth his best finishes. But having used Tirreno-Adriatico to get some big climbing miles in his legs, the undulating course should hold no terrors. His ability on the cobbles, too, has already been proven and the Belkin man could grow into being a serious contender should he start his Classics season in the same way he rode at the two semi-Classics back at the start of the month.
