"Hopefully this will be the perfect preparation" - Andreas Kron readies for World Championships at the 2024 Tour de Luxembourg

One of the final preparation races for the Zurich World Championships, many of those with Rainbow Jersey hopes are descending onto the 2024 Tour de Luxembourg, that gets underway this afternoon. Among them is Lotto Dstny's 26-year-old Dane, Andreas Kron.

"It would be great to win another stage this year. I have good memories of this race," says Kron, a stage winner at the 2020 edition of the Tour de Luxembourg, in a pre-race preview on the official website of the Lotto Dstny team. "Moreover, it's the perfect opportunity to get some race rhythm back in my legs. I was informed this week that I’ve been selected for the World Championships, so hopefully this will be the perfect preparation."

After being forced to exit the 2024 Vuelta a Espana ahead of stage 7 following a heavy crash, the Tour de Luxembourg also offers Kron a great chance to regain his racing legs ahead of the fight for the Rainbow Jersey on the 29th of September.

"Having to leave the Vuelta was a big disappointment," Kron admits. "I actually recovered fairly quickly from the concussion, but after a few days, I started to feel pain in my back, and it turned out I had an injury in my lower back. Fortunately, I was able to get back on the bike pretty fast after the crash. My back is healing good. I still feel it, but I’ve been able to train well over the past two weeks, and today I’m here at the start in Luxembourg again."

Whilst Kron's individual dreams of winning the Rainbow Jersey are relatively unfancied, the Dane could yet have a key role to play for his nation's dual leadership in Zurich, Mads Pedersen and Mattias Skjelmose. As such, a positive Tour de Luxembourg for the Lotto Dstny man will be the ideal way to boost confidence heading into the race.