Orica-GreenEDGE directeur sportif talks to Cyclingnews
Image 1 of 2
Garmin-Transitions Matt White talks to the audience.(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
2014 Amstel Gold Race podium: Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Belisol), Philippe Gilbert (BMC), Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège marks the end of more than a month’s racing in Belgium. From Omloop Het Nieuwsblad at the beginning of March to the Ardennes Classics, the riders have tackled all kinds of terrain. The Spring Classics are predominantly split between the cobbles of Flanders and the hills of Wallonia.
Orica-GreenEDGE directeur sportif Matt White has ridden all of them at some point in his career and he explains to Cyclingnews, in this exclusive interview, why he loves the Ardennes races so much.
“The first ever period where I did the classics, I did all the classics right through to Liège. By the time I got here I was pretty tired,” he says. “There is a little bit of a different feel to the Flemish ones. These are the world’s best climbers. It’s a gradual progression. Amstel is a mix of the world’s best climbers and the guys who can still handle the Flemish style of argy bargy racing. Then there’s Flèche and Liège. I think that Liege is the hardest one-day race in the world. It’s the most taxing. So it’s a gradual progression from the Flemish stuff.”
White’s team will be aiming for the podium this Sunday with Simon Gerrans, who finished third at Amstel Gold last week.
