Kristoff early in the Roubaix-reconnaissance: - Got confirmed what I thought

(procycling.no): While the competitors have flown back and forth across the brosteinspartiene against Roubaix to test equipment, tire pressure, and so on - both in the months and weeks before the race - Alexander Kristoff had a relaxed attitude to it all.

Ahead of the 2017 dropped him all the rekognoseringen and leaned on experience, while he in the last year was out on the cobblestones the day before the race, without that it changed on the luck of his race (Kristoff was number 57).

On the way to treningssamling with Team Coop in Alicante, went Kristoff Monday visit to Roubaix on the road, to test the equipment on the cobblestones, along with the two sporting director and one mechanic, before he flew on to Spain in the evening.

I knew from before

An intense session was covered in rittets last ten parties, with some laps at the iconic Carrefour l'Arbre, with a focus on finding the best equipment.

Tested really a bit different frames and wheels, to get a little more idea about what I should do. Have not tested so much it before, at all really. So tried some different wheel sizes, height of wheels, different frames, different widths of decks. So it was really the most that we tested, and not so much reconnaissance, tells Kristoff over the phone from Spain to procycling.no.

the UAE Team Emirates-the rider has previously justified its restrictive utstyrsengasjement that he does not believe there are major differences, which he long way feel he got confirmed on Monday.

Actually, as I got a little confirmed what I had in my head from before. I could almost just said it without having tested, but it is good to get it confirmed. The frame is the best to have very small clearance, so that it doesn't fit the largest tires. So if it is properly drittvær actually I can't use the border, for if there is mud on the edge of the canvas so it starts to scrape against the wheel. It is little things like that, but I knew from before.

Security

the Testing happened on the team's initiative and even though Kristoff does not necessarily look for that Monday's session should be no big difference when the giants barker 14. april gives him at least a sense of security.

- It is okay to have tested out to have an idea what you will be driving on. Now I know at least that. Then, it is not a question mark when I come to the Roubaix. Now I know what I feel is best. Then I'm more sure of the choice.

(article continues below)

the 31-year-old says that the frame he rode in last year was the same as that felt the best in years, and that the bikes he on in the year also, given the right weather conditions.

last year I got problems with that I ran up in the mudholes, so put all the mud stuck in the frame. So picked up a puncture I because there is too little space between the deck and the frame. When it was so much scraping the tyre is exploded by the heat. Possibly run with a little smaller tire, but then it must be the time be the nice weather, for the poorer the weather, the smoother is it and when is it better with wider tires. If the weather is nice so I don't think there is any problem to run the hack, smaller tires, but if not, I have a different frame that fits the larger tires.

Despite the confirmation of his prejudices, he will not drop rekognoseringen in the year, as he did in 2017.

I think maybe I'm going down two days before and run one to recon with the team, but then is it not so much testing of the bike, as it was now. Now, it was mostly for testing of the frame, but I got the run a reconnaissance also. I cycled the inn to Roubaix from the last strekkene, so when I got the with me the final.

- Have the desire to run vueltaen

Kristoff starts the season with the Mallorca Challenge 31. January, before the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana, the Tour of Oman, the UAE Tour and Paris-Nice waiting, before embarking on the customary klassikerrekken.

In the summer go he is likely to France and the Tour de France as opptrekker for Fernando Gaviria, while høstprogrammet is more controversial.

the Entire program to Kristoff can be found at procycling.no!

the Norwegian has previously told that the Vuelta a España may be applicable, and even if he responds may well "no" if he thinks to look at some of the stages, which is situated in the Alicante area, where he now is in a training camp, so, he is keen to try himself in the Spanish power for the first time - if the conditions are right for it.

I talked a bit with [Allan] Peiper (sporting director in the UAE) yesterday, when I was in Roubaix. The first ten days are the the part spurtetapper as far as I have understood, that it may be an idea to run there. We have it a bit open yet, seen this way. I have little desire to do it to run something other than the Hamburg and the old stuff. Have the run Hamburg all year as a pro. We get to see a bit of what the team will vueltaen also. If they have the space to have me and any helpers around so it is cool, if only they will go for the overall and the whole team around it then it becomes the worse if I shall have with me one, two, three-man. I'm at least open to run, so if it is possible then I want it.

the Article is provided by sykkelnettstedet procycling.no!