Stefan Küng more confident of podium towards Tour of Flanders: "The fact that there are few favorites left can certainly have an impact on the race"

Stefan Küng has been on rising form and finally reached the podium this spring at Dwars door Vlaanderen. With a damaged field at the Tour of Flanders and a strong collective next to him, the Swiss rider believes he has better chances of reaching the podium of the the Belgian monument.

“I could use a podium place like that, as a confidence boost. Especially because I have had a crazy preparation for it. I was not able to ride Tirreno-Adriatico, but I was able to ride Nokere Koerse and the GP Denain. I was always competing for victories in those races," Küng shared with Wielerflits. "In the E3 Saxo Classic I was also very good physically, but I never had a result. It's good to have something in hand after this race. It is not a victory, but you show that you are there. It's good for confidence, the legs feel good. This is important. I'm ready and looking forward to Sunday.”

The Swiss powerhouse is not a rider who thrives on the steep ascents, but his endurance and tactical knowhow often get him towards the front when it matters the most. Heading into the Tour of Flanders he will team up with former runner-up Valentin Madouas and young sensation Laurence Pithie to form a very strong block in a week where rival teams have significantly lost depth.

Küng has finished fifth and sixth in the past two editions of the Ronde and it is possible that he can jump up a few more spots this weekend: “We have to look at the situation towards Sunday, but we can only really do that once we have the final start list in front of us. But the fact that there are few favorites left can certainly have an impact on the race."