Trek Factory has declared to replace injured Fabian Cancellara with Stijn Devolder for the upcoming Flanders Tour. Cancellara has badly broken his vertebrae in a tragic crash as the recently concluded E3 Harelbeke that ruled him out from Spring Classics.
Devolder, who had earlier stated about possibilities to triumph at Flanders Tour, is to face new set of responsibilities given his dramatic shift of role of late.
“Certainly, we should strive to come up with something great. Cancellara was surely the prime favorite & it’s always fantastic to have such a great cyclist in the team”, stated the Belgian rider which approached on Tour of Flanders.
“Now he isn’t here but there isn’t any reason to worry. We would stay focused & would attempt to come up with something good with our existing team.”
The Belgian’s twin Ronde wins came during QuickStep days & he owes much of his strength to Tom Boonen in particular. The contrast in between his 2-year unhappy sojourn as Vacansoleil captain & his following reanimation on signing as Cancellara’s deluxe domestique 2 years back suggests- that the Belgian more compatible in supporting role. But as Gert Steegmans has been ticked off on injury issues as well, the current trek leadership goes to Devolder only for Flanders Tour.
“It was quite a great role to participate in the finale with Cancellara & maybe to support him at the finale”, admitted Devolder.
“But now Fabian is not here and so in case something happens I will have to handle it myself. I have got good legs. That’s how it’s now.”
The Belgian’s resurgent & pleasantly strong prowess at the Flanders Tour 2 years back came on back of short mid-week sojourn to Valencia prior to the championship.
“In 2013, we were going through extreme cold & the squad was not doing the De Panne. Thus, it was smarter to move to south for long training.”