17/02/2023

Bauke Mollema to try himself in the cobbles of Flanders as he sets sights on Opening Weekend

Bauke Mollema has already kicked off his season with the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana earlier this month and is now in the midst of competing in the Volta ao Algarve. The next challenge on his radar is the upcoming Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, both of which he will take part in next week.

Thirteen years after competing in the Brabantse Pijl, Bauke Mollema has made the decision to ride in a Flemish spring race once again. “I am really looking forward to riding the Opening Weekend,” he told WielerFlits. He continues, “At the beginning of the winter I asked the team if I could ride Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. They just seem like nice races and I would like to try that.”

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He sarcastically commented. “You are never too old to try something new! I watched last year's Omloop final on YouTube. Next Thursday I will also explore the last hundred kilometers of that race.”

Following the completion of the Opening Weekend, he will head to Italy to ride in the Trofeo Laigueglia on 1st March. After that, he will devote his time and effort to preparing for the Ardennes classics, which will include his participation in the Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race.

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Once he completes all of the aforementioned races, he will shift his attention to the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, as well as the Clásica de San Sebastián. Although he will not be participating in the World Championship this year, he will conclude the season by riding in the Tour of Lombardy.

“I will not ride the World Cup in Glasgow, I think. At least, as long as the lap is the same as when Matteo Trentin won the European Championship in 2018. Then it will be a little more for the sprinters and puncheurs because the climbs on the local lap are never longer than thirty seconds, in my opinion. Of course, I will still drive Clásica San Sebastián! Then I take a little rest and build up to the Italian autumn with Lombardy,” concluded Mollema.