How luxurious is the Algarve time-trial list? "I'll go full throttle, but I'm not the favourite" Stefan Küng argues
Cycling
How many time-trial experts have to be in a race so as to consider Stefan Küng an outsider? The Volta ao Algarve certainly delivers until it's very last day, where a star-studded field will fight for the GC win, and separately some men like Küng are aiming for the stage win but know it will be a very difficult task.
"It is a race with the necessary balance. There are a few sprinter stages, but also several tough stages and a time trial. That makes it the perfect preparation race, actually," Küng said in an interview with In de Leiderstrui. "To be honest, I would have preferred a time trial like in previous years. Now it will be very difficult for me to compete against the better climbers, such as Joao Almeida and the others. But we'll see: I'll go full throttle, but I'm not the favourite".
The final 19-kilometer ITT will feature a final two-kilometer long ascent in the well-known Alto do Malhão, where a few differences can be made and it certainly won't favour the heavyweight riders such as the Swiss champion, Filippo Ganna and Wout van Aert.
On the opposite side of the scale we've got riders such as Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic and João Almeida who will not only ride for the stage win but have the GC win as a priority. With the amount of other strong outsiders present, not even a Top10 result would be guaranteed on a good day for Küng.
He uses this race also as preparation for the cobbled classics. "The goal for the Omloop is to start the spring classics in a good way and to achieve a result. That also gives you confidence for the other classics. I had a good training camp, but after that things went a bit less well," he shares.
"Now I rode my first race in the Algarve, where I could prepare myself for the classics. In other years I did very well in the Algarve, but things were a bit more difficult after that. We have now adjusted the approach a bit and hopefully that will pay off in the spring. After the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad I will also ride Paris-Nice".
We may see a different 'King Küng' this year, as he switches things up within Groupama - FDJ. "We always try new things. I now have a different trainer, that has been the biggest change. I have also worked on my punch, because that is what the classics are all about. As a time trialist I am more of a diesel, but we have now added some turbo to that diesel".
And now, the 31-year old is in contract year, and is pondering a possible transfer at the end of the year. "I still have a few good years in me, I can feel that. So I'm not looking for a retirement contract, so to speak. I mainly want a place where I can perform and fight for victories in the classics. I'm also not averse to a helper role, every now and then. I'm in a good place at Groupama-FDJ, but it's also interesting to consider the options," he concluded.
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