Team LottoNL-Jumbo Team is expecting to see an open battle in the eight-day Tour of Britain that starts September 6. Sports Director Nico Verhoeven has several cards to play in the British stage race.

“A lot of WorldTour teams with strong riders will be there and that makes it an exciting race,” Verhoeven said. “With Moreno Hofland, we have a fast man who should be able to mix it up in the sprints. Steven Kruijswijk, Nick van der Lijke and Bram Tankink are guys who have the experience and the ambition to get involved on the difficult terrain.”

Open character
Verhoeven expects the race across the breath of England to have an open character. “The six-men teams, the hills and the absence of a time trial all provide opportunities for attackers. The fact that Dylan van Baarle won the overall last year with an aggressive racing style offers hope for our three men. In the hills, we’re going to see a battle between the teams that want a sprint and the teams that want to attack. That means the riders have to be on their toes every day of the week.”

Bram Tankink
Bram Tankink is unsure about his condition after the Tour de France and the Tour of Poland, but the 36-year-old Dutchman is nevertheless looking forward to the Tour of Britain.

“I think England is a wonderful country to ride your bike, and the race is a very interesting one. The hills and the small teams create opportunities. You can really show yourself if you are good. WorldTour races are often structured, but in this race, you never know what to expect. This requires flexibility and tactical insight,” the experienced Tankink said.

Koen Bouwman
Koen Bouwman, 21, will travel to the other side of The English Channel with the team as a trainee.  “Koen is a climber,” Verhoeven said. “He is young, still has steps to make, and in England there aren’t really big mountains, but we’re looking forward to seeing him in action.”

Team line-up:
Moreno Hofland, Steven Kruijswijk, Nick van der Lijke, Barry Markus, Bram Tankink and Koen Bouwman.

Sports Directors:
Nico Verhoeven and Ken Vanmarcke.