Andre Greipel is quite optimistic before the race(Image credit: Sonja Csury)
Andre Greipel in the lead at Tour of Denmark(Image credit: CyclingPhoto.eu)
Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol) celebrates his stage win(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
André Greipel is training his sights on the Classics in the early part of 2013. The German sprinter, who enjoyed a fine 2012 season at Lotto-Belisol, is getting ready for the forthcoming campaign after a short break.
“My first race of 2013 is probably the Tour Down Under," Greipel told sport.be. "Then maybe the Tour of the Algarve and some Belgian races. A stage win in Australia would be nice, but my first major goals of 2013 are Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and Milan-San Remo."
The 30-year-old opened his 2012 campaign, as he so often has before, at the Tour Down Under, where he won three stages. The highlight of his season was taking three stage wins at the Tour de France. In all he took 19 wins in 2012, more than anyone else, to compile the most successful season of his career to date.
On Monday, he and teammate Marcel Sieberg underwent fitness and cycling tests at the Energy Lab in Paal, Belgium. “Such a test is important to know where you stand. I know the results are not detailed yet, but I can already say that I feel better than this time last year.”
Greipel ended his 2012 season last month at the Münsterland Giro. “"In October, the season ended for me. Actually, I never completely stopped, you should always try to maintain that condition."
He has now joined his teammates for team building in Zeeland, Netherlands, to be followed by a later training camp in Mojocar, Spain.
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