Oliver Naesen admits limitations against big three ahead of Tour of Flanders - " Can no longer fight for victory as I did with Peter Sagan"

This spring, Oliver Naesen is once again participating actively and displaying impressive performance, however, the Belgian cyclist has developed a more pragmatic or negative outlook regarding his chances of winning, particularly against the big three.

Although he finished 18th in Gent-Wevelgem, he had no illusions of winning and was aware of his limitations. “My opening weekend was not too bad, but in Milan-San Remo, I was really great. Of course, I couldn't compete with Mathieu van der Poel, but without bad luck, There was a nice result,” he told Het Nieuwsblad.

He continues, “The day before E3, I was feeling a bit weak. Germs were circulating in Tirreno-Adriatico, and maybe I was infected by a teammate. In Harelbeke, I wasn't great either. Sunday in Gent-Wevelgem I felt good legs. When Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte accelerated on the Kemmelberg, I was in a good position, but it was just too fast. Jumbo-Visma has been handing out the sheets for an entire season. Except for Milan-San Remo, it won all the classics.”

Naesen used to fantasize about coming out victorious in a competition like the Tour of Flanders but now he has a more grounded perspective. “You used to be able to predict a course to some extent, but that is no longer the case. If Mathieu van der Poel gives a lap at a hundred kilometres from the finish, you get a completely different course. I dare to predict the podium for the Ronde. Pogačar, Van Aert and Van der Poel are simply head and shoulders above the rest,” admits Naesen.

A top 10 finish is the most he can hope for, provided everything goes smoothly.“ Jumbo-Visma will post a few other riders in the top ten so that it becomes drumming. I sign for a place in the top ten. It's hard for me to imagine that I'm still on the side of Pogačar on the last climb of the Kwaremont. The level has risen enormously in recent years. I realise that I can no longer fight for victory as I did with Peter Sagan. A cold and therefore difficult Tour threatens on Sunday. We have to go through and with the legs of Gent-Wevelgem, I am making a shot at the top ten,” concluded the AG2R Citroën rider.