Lewis shows his form in Brabantse Pijl

Craig Lewis (HTC-Highroad) showed good form at today's Brabantse Pijl, and is primed to tackle the Ardennes Classics before the Giro d'Italia. Lewis tried to get across to the breakaway at today, but admitted that he had left it one climb too late to join the break that went on to decide the race.

Eventually winner Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) jumped across to the six-rider attack with a surprise surge on the footpath of the main climb. Lewis tried to go just after but was pulled back. He eventually finished 31st, in the main pack that finished 2:19 behind Gilbert.

"With Gilbert up the road and all the other big teams up there too, I knew that as it, and so I had to try to go across to them. But I waited one hill to long and the gap was too big to get across," he told Cyclingnews.

"It was hard out there. It was brutal finishing circuit. There was a headwind on the flats and then there were the hills and cobbles. It’s not really for me but I tried."

The South Carolina native rode the Vuelta Pais Vasco before travelling to northern Europe for the Ardennes Classics. After his spell north he is set to ride the Giro d’Italia with team leaders Mark Cavendish and Marco Pinotti.

"I was a little sick at Pais Vasco last week but I went home and recovered well," he explained.

"My form is good. I’m really looking forward to Amstel and Liege-Bastogne-Liege and then the Giro d’Italia. Before them I’m riding the GP Denain tomorrow too. It’s all go but all good."