Bauke Mollema targets 2018 Tour de France

Trek-Segafredo team leader is aiming for the general classification

After the departure of Fabian Cancellara and Alberto Contador who both retired, Mollema is the natural selection for Trek-Segafredo's Grand Tour plans backed up by Jarlinson Pantano.

Last year, Bauke Mollema targeted the Giro d'Italia and finishing seventh overall. He took to the start of the Tour de France to support Alberto Contador while enjoying a "carte blanche" try at clinching a stage. Present in the breakaway during the 15th stage to Puy-en-Velay, he went all the way, crossing the line first and winning the stage.

After a good season last year the Dutchman is convinced that the heat and the pressure of the Tour de France are more suited to him than the Giro d'Italia. "I'm coming back to the Tour de France and aiming for the general classification , " explains Bauke Mollema "I do not regret trying the Giro and then starting the Tour as a lieutenant. Winning a stage was fantastic for me, as well as witnessing Alberto's attacks. He did everything to succeed and taught me a lot. I can not wait to come back to France. I think it's the Grand Tour that suits me best and where I'm the best. It's a difficult race because of the high level of stress but I rarely lose my temper, I easily adapt to the Tour. It's a big goal."

At the end of January, after a training camp with his team Trek-Segafredo in Spain, Bauke Mollema will return to competition at the Majorca Challenge. Then he will start Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico before preparing for the Ardennes classics.

Focused on the Tour de France, his schedule will take him to the Tour de Suisse (June 9 to 17) instead of the Critérium du Dauphiné (June 3 to 10) because the Tour de France which will start a week later than usual, July 7th, because of the world cup football.

In the Classics John Degenkolb will no doubt head up Trek-Segafredo's ambitions, Degenkolb has not won since February and is still looking for his form he had in the 2015 season, where he triumphed in Milan San Remo and Paris-Roubaix. At the peak of his condition, the German was one of the best classics racers in the world. 

Today, the one-day races remain the ideal target of Trek-Segafredo, with 25 year old Jasper Stuyven being another contenders, fourth in Paris-Roubaix in 2017, the promising Belgian is among the those able to take victory this year. 

Fabio Felline (27) and Mads Pedersen (22) will be a valuable contribution for Trek in the Classics races.