Hoogerland aims high at Tour of Britain
Vacansoleil's Johnny Hoogerland has said his team's ambition to claim the general classification in this year's Tour of Britain is realistic.
Hoogerland finished eighth in Sunday's sprint-friendly second stage, which saw Team Sky's Gregory Henderson claim both the stage win and the overall lead.
Sky riders Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas joined Henderson in the 18-man breakway grouping on Sunday, leaving the team second in the team classification.
But Vacansoleil, who aside from Hoogerland also had sprinters Borut Bozic and Pim Lighart finish among stage two's top 18 riders, remains at the top in the team classification. Hoogerland said he expects his team to excel in the climbs that await the riders in the Tour's coming stages.
“I think it’s very difficult for Henderson to keep the jersey. He is good on the hills, but we are getting to a few hilly stages, so I think it is difficult for him,” he said.
In the general classification, Vacansoleil's Michael Golas is in sixth place, but Hoogerland insisted that the team is challenging for the overall victory.
“We are not satisfied with sixth place on the general classification, so we are going to try and win the overall. We had three in the first group and we have Wout [Poels] and [Matteo] Carrara in the peloton [on Sunday]. They are also in very good condition, so I think we can make it pretty hard for Sky.”
Climbers could pounce this week
Vacansoleil, formed in 2008, is not racing in the 2010 Vuelta a Espana, which has been underway since late August. The team's absence in Spain means its best riders are competing in the Tour, which ends on Saturday.
Monday's third stage, which includes a cobbled ride up Constitution Hill outside Swansea just before the finish, could be when Vacansoleil's riders make their presence felt.
Dutchman Hoogerland and Italy's Carrara, who won the general classification in the Tour de Luxembourg earlier this season, are both known for their climbing prowess.
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