Gesink to ride the Tour and Vuelta in 2011

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Robert Gesink (Rabobank) has decided to ride both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana in 2011. “Maybe not both for the general classification, but we'll see how it it goes,” he told De Telegraaf. Gesink wil be Rabobank's team leader for the grand tours after deciding to let Denis Menchov move on to the new Geox team.

This year, the 24-year-old Dutchman rode only one grand tour, the Tour de France, finishing sixth overall. He is currently in Canada to ride the GP du Quebec and the GP de Montreal.

Gesink has had injury problems with the grand tours, but has done well in the Vuelta in the past. He finished seventh overall in 2008 and was fourth overall in the Vuelta last year. Gesink had been in second place overall until the 17th stage, when he suffered deep cuts on his left knee in a crash.

He had to abandon his first Tour de France last year after crashing and breaking his wrist. But rode strongly this year despite crashing and suffering a minor fracture in a bone in his left arm during the mass crash on the Cote de Stockeau on stage two. He was able to continue, however, finishing sixth overall, behind Alberto Contador. He was also second in the best young rider competition behind Any Schleck.