Van Goolen "ripe" for the Tour

Jurgen Van Goolen (Belgium) in a Dutch sandwich (Image credit: Cyclingnews.com)

Jurgen Van Goolen is planning to ride his first Tour de France in 2008. "I think that the time is ripe for that," he told Sportwereld.be.

He said that he discussed his season schedule with the team management at CSC's recent team meeting in the snows of Norway. "Normally speaking I will ride Haut Var, Almeria, Murcia and Basque Country, as a gradual lead-up to the Wallonian Classics and the Amstel Gold Race, which will be my first season highlight," he said.

After a rest period, he will then have Catalunya and the Dauphine Libere on his program, "hopefully as a lead-in to my first Tour. I think that the time is ripe for that – I have just turned 27 – and if I can show the same condition that I had the second half of this season, then it must succeed."

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Another CSC training camp is planned for January 8-18, but if the European weather continues as it is, Van Goolen said that he made be off to Spain for several weeks to train.

Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.