Stetina to target the Tour of California ahead of the Tour de France
Trek Segafredo's Peter Stetina is focusing on the Tour of California before the Tour de France, where he'll support GC contender and teammate Bauke Mollema in his bid to win overall
Stetina started his season last week at Argentina’s Vuelta a San Juan, which will provide him some race mile before heading to the Tour of Oman in February, his big personal goal is the AMGEN Tour of California in May.
After placing sixth in 2014, he finished second on the Gibraltar climb behind Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) in 2016, Stetina is returning to California where the Gibraltar climb features again in 2018.
Stetina said "The Tour of California is the big goal on my calendar, that and the Tour de France with Bauke.”
Stetina will be the leader for the Tour of California and said "You always shoot to win, right?"
Stetina continues, "I think Mollema can do it, he was second overall in 2016 until he had that bad crash on a descent, we believe in him and are building the best team around him. “I've proved myself as a selfless, loyal domestique."
Mollema threatened Chris Froome’s lead in 2016 with just two mountain stages to race, but he crashed badly and slipped down the GC to finish 11th.
After the Tour of California, Stetina is lookiing to race theTour de Suisse mid-June before starting the Tour de France on July 7.