Charly Wegelius, general manager of EF Education-EasyPost, expresses cautious optimism regarding his team’s readiness for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne races. He acknowledges that while these Classics generate significant anticipation, the outcomes can be unpredictable based on earlier races in January and February. Wegelius warns against overinterpreting early season results but does believe that past performances, such as Jan Tratnik's success in Portugal leading up to Omloop, may still have relevance. The team is strategically bringing a mix of experienced riders and promising talents, underlining their goal to showcase strong performances in the Opening Weekend of the Classics.
"We're moving in the right kind of direction," EF Education-EasyPost general manager Charly Wegelius is understandably cautious about his team's prospects for success in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. He emphasizes that while anticipation is high for these races, performance in January and February does not necessarily predict outcomes in the Classics. The races are sometimes viewed as standalone events, making early season results tricky to interpret. Nevertheless, the team is bringing a diverse range of riders, each with past successes that contribute to the optimism for the Opening Weekend."
"There's lots of anticipation because everybody's been waiting all winter for Omloop and I think maybe it can give us the first taste of what's coming," Wegelius explains. He acknowledges the unique characteristics of the Omloop and Kuurne races, suggesting they can often serve as indicators of the season ahead but warns against reading too much into isolated performances based on early season results.
"You're right when you say they're completely different races, but form is form. So if a guy like Tratnik did bring it out in Algarve, he can bring it out in Omloop as well," Wegelius argues. He points to the varying contexts of races but highlights that consistent riders may carry their early season form into the Classics.
"This weekend is always a bit of an outlier because Omloop and Kuurne are full-on Classics, but there's no context," Wegelius shares, illustrating the inherent challenge in gauging team performance at these traditional races. He emphasizes the excitement surrounding the races while also acknowledging the inherent unpredictability.
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