"This team gives me the opportunities I've always hoped for" - Pascal Ackermann happy to have found a place in his new team

Pascal Ackermann's career wasn't exactly on the upward trajectory ahead of joining Israel - Premier Tech this winter, but the 30-year-old German is confident there's still some more left in his legs as he prepares to carry his team's ambitions in selected Belgian classics, the Classic Brugge-De Panne, Gent Wevelgem and Scheldeprijs.

"After Paris-Nice, I feel very good. I think I was in good form there and now I'm ready for the upcoming races in Flanders. These are races I have fond memories of," he confides to IDLProCycling. "Of course, there's always room for improvement, but I can't complain about the wattages I'm producing now. Hopefully, those will translate into great results."  

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Ackermann plans to race fewer classics this year, aiming to excel in the one-day races he will be focusing on. "I will be competing in the Classic Brugge-De Panne, Gent Wevelgem and Scheldeprijs. Those are the races that suit me best. We're trying to race fewer events than usual with me, so I can be in good form for all the races I do participate in."

Does Ackermann consider himself among the top favorites for races like Gent-Wevelgem or Scheldeprijs? Absolutely. "Although I do think that Gent Wevelgem will be challenging. It's one where many world-class classics riders will be lining up," he says, referring to the presence of riders like Mathieu van der Poel. "Last year, I managed to stay in the main group and finished eleventh. That's a memory I hold onto. This team gives me the opportunities I've always hoped for. That's a comforting thought."

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Final startlist Classic Brugge-De Panne with Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier, Arvid de Kleijn, Dylan Groenewegen and Sam Welsford