"I obviously dream of winning" - Tim Wellens not conservative with goal of performing at Tour of Flanders

Tim Wellens has shown very strong legs all throughout the spring once again and, in the absence of Tadej Pogacar, leads UAE Team Emirates at the Tour of Flanders. He tells that he dreams of winning the race and that is not impossible.

“I obviously dream of winning, but two hundred riders dream of winning,” Wellens admitted to Sporza this morning at the starting area. “For me, the absence of Wout van Aert and Jasper Stuyven does not change much. Things will change more for Mathieu van der Poel, because everyone will be watching him. There will be a lot of pressure on his team."

Wellens rode to second at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne and fourth at the E3 Saxo Classic. However, despite these strong results, he also looked very good at both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Milano-Sanremo. The 32-year old benefits from years of experience in these roads, and on a race that should be decided on the short and steep ascents, it suits his very style of racing.

The Belgians have suffered major casualties as neither Wout van Aert, Jasper Stuyven and Arnaud De Lie took to the start. Wellens may be the home country's best hope for a performance. "Can I become the best Belgian? I don't look at that too much," he concluded. Together with Nils Politt and the likes of Marc Hirschi and António Morgado, the UAE team will look to take advantage of their outsider status.