Van Gerwen wants to get Milram to the front

Milram's Team Manager Gerry van Gerwen is urging his team to show its trademark blue-and-white "cow" jerseys more on the front of the races. Van Gerwen said he was happy with the atmosphere in the team and how the new riders were integrated, but that results were lacking.

"Look at the live pictures on the Eurosport television broadcasts, you will rarely notice our team at all, with very minor exceptions. We don't have the 'visibility' – the presence and awareness of the public... The riders must show and do more."

Van Gerwen feels the foundations are laid to tackle the problem. "We have done everything right so far. We achieved the perfect infrastructure, there is a good mood in the team. We have put together a young and hungry team. Everyone finds it to be an ideal situation."

Van Gerwen didn't want to panic anyone and was not going to criticise any riders by name. "But our first goal has to be to give something back to our sponsor and to German cycling. I would like to have seen [us] in one race or another.", Van Gerwen said it would have been the chance for the second-string riders to push themselves into the foreground. But he also the directeurs sportifs would have to encourage the riders. "The team must bring itself into situations where it can win races ... instead of just riding along and waiting. Only then can we be successful."

The next chance for the team to show up on the front of a race will be on Saturday at Milano-Sanremo. "It has its own set of rules. In the first third, it is a game between the escapees and the peloton. On the long way to the coast, the favourites try to save as much strength as possible."

Things heat up in the end. "Only the riders who can hold up to the mental stress and stay cool until the end have a real chance. It is our goal to have Gerald Ciolek in the front up to the finale at the foot of Poggio. It would be optimal to have two more Milram riders, like Fabian Wegmann or Peter Wrolich, at his side. I would be very satisfied with that because at that point in the race, anything is possible."