Despite having been at the start line of the last five successive Tour de France Grand Departs, Kasper Asgreen remains unsure as to whether he will return to cycling's biggest bike race later this summer.
Even last year, the Dane took a first career Grand Tour stage win on stage 18 ahead of Pascal Eenkhoorn and Jonas Abrahamsen as the breakaway held off the sprinters in a thrilling finale to the day. As Soudal - Quick-Step change tactics from stage hunters to general classification challengers with former Vuelta a Espana leader Remco Evenepoel leading the charge of the team, Asgreen's hopes of a sixth Tour de France as of yet unclear.
“I hope I can be there again. I've been working hard in the last few months, I've been working on it since the classics," the 29-year-old tells Wielerflits from the Baloise Belgium Tour, where hopes a good performance will give team boss Patrick Lefevere no choice but to include him in the Tour de France lineup. "Normally the selection is made in the coming weeks, after the Tour de Suisse and the Belgium Tour have been ridden. Fingers crossed.”
Despite not being a renowned climber, Asgreen insists he can more than help Evenepoel in any Maillot Jaune challenge the Belgian may take up later this month. “It is not easy to get into the selection, because we have many good riders in the team. Of course everyone would like to be there," Asgreen concludes reservedly. "Of course I'm not a climber, but I can support Remco. I won't be the last man on the big mountains, but I think I can be of help in the fast stages. There I can keep him out of the wind and trouble, and guide him to the big climbs.”
Whilst the likes of Mikel Landa and Ilan van Wilder are expected to support Evenepoel in the mountains, the full composition of the team is not yet known. Only time will tell if Asgreen makes the cut.
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