Kristoff has been so superb that there is a problem – Aftenposten

Alexander Kristoff is the world’s most successful cyclist. Coach Stein Eagle believes that competitors have countermove ready before the Tour of Flanders.

– Right now it’s just Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel as can beat him in such sprints, says Stein Eagle by Alexander Kristoff seventh win of the season.

The Norwegian ruled Wednesday leg of Driesdaagse De Panne impressively: He stepped to a few hundred meters before the finish and controlled to victory alone in front.

– I have to thank the team, they were very strong. It was difficult today with demanding wind, says Kristoff in an interview broadcast on Eurosport.

– Is it a goal to win the overall?

– The goal my Sunday (multi race of Flanders).

See also: Kristoff completely superior – no one has won more this year

Tuesday won stavanger biker first leg of the race.

Topwinning

Eagles, who are Kristoffer coach and stepfather, believes it was even more impressive.

– When he came against targets in a small group with Bystrøm (Sven Erik, teammate in Team Katusha) and showed that he is strong in such situations.

The two victories makes Kristoff has now won seven times far this year, making it the world’s most successful cyclist in 2015.

– He gets victories in almost every race he attends now showing high level over a long time. It is incredibly important for Alex to win, and it’s clear how much it means for the team. The victory today was a team victory, everyone did their job.

– How important is De Panne?

– That the biggest stage race that runs right now and some of the best participating here. It is also historically important, Alexander took his first professional victory here in 2012.

Sunday it is ready for a seasonal major objectives: Disposable race of Flanders: The event that is larger than the football World Cup for many Belgians .

Gotta find countermoves

– The problem is that the good start of the season creates difficulties during the weekend: Because is so pronounced and good in the sprint, there are very few who will meet him a sprint for victory. Teams have countermove against Alexander.

– But it is well always a challenge for any team which has strong sprinters?

– In Flanders there is never mass sprint – it makes opponents will work to neutralize Alexander underway. His team must try to have a countermeasure against attacks.

– What must he do?

– His problem is that opponents will avoid to get together with him to the finish . Therefore, he must find opponents who are willing to have him, who accept that they will lose.

On Tuesday’s leg happened just this: Kristoff and teammate Bystrøm broke with a small group from other teams who rode together almost to line.

– When working group together, they envisioned the possibility of earning it, but De Panne is a stage race, Flander Around are daily rides. So it comes to ally with someone who is happy with the top three location. He must cooperate with the second best, says Eagles, adding that Kristoffer domestique Luca Paolini may be important for eventual success.

Many strong competitors

Two of the biggest pre-favorites, Fabian Cancellara and Tom Boonen, must stand over Flanders.

These, according Eagles among the favorites, bypassing Kristoff (click on the athlete’s name for statistics):

• Geraint Thomas from Sky has been strong. He made a bright strong Milan Sanremo and bikes for a Sky team that is motivated and strong.
• Niki Terpstra from Etixx-Quickstep. They also émigré Zdenek Styb that is dangerous. There are several of this team that can win and can not be ignored.
• BMC is the only team that can match Etixx-Quickstep and Sky. Greg Van Avermaet and Phillippe Gilbert are dangerous.
• Of all the individual riders can Peter Sagan (bikes for Team Saxo Bank-SunGard) interfere in victory battle.

– A start to the season with seven wins, how good is it compared to expectations?

– It suits very well into the development we had planned, he has taken ever new step, but the most important factor is that the team is one hundred percent behind him. He lifted up in a different way than he did last year. We also see that he is physically stronger and better on the slopes. He has won every stage races he has run into now. It gets noticed.