“Omloop is going to be the first test along the Flemish roads, so you want to be good there obviously” - Stefan Küng ahead of the Classics campaign

After a successful Classics season last year, where he finished sixth at the Ronde van Vlaanderen and fifth at Paris-Roubaix, Stefan Küng has been looking ahead to the start of this year’s campaign at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

In an interview with Cyclingnews, the Swiss rider said “Omloop is gonna be the first test along the Flemish roads, so you wanna be good there obviously. But the big goals, they’re in April with Flanders and Roubaix”.

On his objective for his first Flemish Classic, Küng said “top five would be good, like you’re up there in the mix but you still have chances to do it better… But I would also take the win in Nieuwsblad, I wouldn’t mind that”.

The Groupama-FDJ rider began the season well at the Volta ao Algarve, as he finished third in the individual time trial around Albufeira and ninth in the overall standings. On his start to the year, Küng said “Algarve is my first race, I’m sure if I wanted to be 100% in Nieuwsblad I probably would have started my season earlier. I know all the work I put in, it will pay off”.

After Opening Weekend, Küng will head to Italy to take on Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico, before returning to Belgium to ride the E3 Saxo Classic, Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen, ahead of the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix.