Dutchman Bauke Mollema – a top-ten finisher at last year’s Tour de France – will return this year as Belkin’s bona fide team leader, with Robert Gesink currently recovering from heart surgery. And Mollema has been slowly coming into form in recent months too.
A consistent showing across the Ardennes Classics was a reminder of his ability to push hard on the ascents, while a stage win in Lillehammer at the Tour of Norway was a reminder of the sort of aggressive climbing which similarly earned him a stage victory at last year’s Vuelta a Espana.
Mollema was omnipresent in the lead group at last year’s Tour de France, a constant companion for the likes of Contador, Froome, Rodriguez and Quintana. Fourth on Ax 3 Domaines, eighth on Mont Ventoux – he may not be in a position to class himself as one of the best climbers just yet, but he is certainly getting there. Consistency earned him a top-ten spot last year, so perhaps with a stage win or two added to that the podium is not such a big step away.
