"Oranges & Apples": EF rider Valgren on the leadership swap for the Classics; Powless builds strong spring form

EF Education-EasyPost became the first team to announce its lineup for Opening Weekend on Monday. The squad led by Jonathan Vaughters will bring a strong Danish core to the first Flemish Classics, featuring Kasper Asgreen, Mikkel Honoré, and Michael Valgren. IDLProCycling.com spoke with Valgren during the Volta ao Algarve, where the 2018 Omloop winner shared his thoughts.

While many riders choose to stay in Southern Europe after the Spanish training camps in January, Valgren returned home to Denmark between his team’s Mallorca training camp and the races in Portugal. That meant he had to complete his training rides in -10°C (14°F) instead of +15°C (59°F).

As a Dane, he’s used to it. "The wind chill was -10, so yeah, it was pretty cold. But the sky was blue, and the sun was shining, so it was actually nice. I kind of like that weather," he said. The average recreational cyclist might wonder: how is that even possible? "You just have to dress well and keep pedaling, and then it’s not so bad to train in those conditions. If you live in Denmark, you have to enjoy it in some way. Of course, I also prefer cycling in 20°C, but I’d rather have -2°C and dry weather than 10°C and rain."

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Valgren on new teammate Asgreen: "Then you of course start dreaming of big things’

For Valgren, the races in Portugal were his first competitions alongside new teammate Kasper Asgreen, the designated leader for the classics. Asgreen had a strong start in the Figueira Champions Classic, though a top result slipped away due to a maneuver in the sprint. In the Volta ao Algarve, the two continued working on their form ahead of the Opening Weekend.

“He’s a former winner of the Tour of Flanders, so you naturally start dreaming of big things,” said Valgren, who also saw another past winner of the Flanders classic leave the team. Alberto Bettiol departed mid-season for XDS-Astana. “He’s obviously strong as well, but now that Kasper has joined the team, the focus will shift more toward him. He has the qualities to go far.”

“Kasper is a totally different person from Alberto, that’s for sure,” Valgren added. “You can’t compare them—it’s like oranges & apples. Kasper is probably a bit easier to work with because, in a way, you know exactly what to expect from him. With Alberto, it was more hit & miss.”

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Valgren does not yet know if he will ride the Amstel Gold Race

In addition to Asgreen, Madis Mikhels also joined EF’s classics squad. “We have a strong team for the classics, and the chemistry within the group is great. Most of the guys racing here will also do the big ones, like the Tour of Flanders. In the Algarve, we’re working on building trust and sharpening our form so we can carry that into Flanders.”

“I’ll take on more of a supporting role. In Mallorca, I was already able to do some good work for the team. Hopefully, I’ll get my own opportunity somewhere, but that ultimately depends on the legs,” explained Valgren, who is still undecided on returning to the Dutch classic he has won twice. “Maybe I’ll do the Amstel Gold Race—it depends a bit on whether I’ll be riding the Giro or not. But before I stop racing, I definitely want to return to Amstel at least once more. It’s one of my favorite races.”

“It’s become much harder for riders like me. With guys like Tadej in the mix, the race has completely changed. The pace is so high all day long that it’s turned into more of a climbers’ race,” noted Valgren, highlighting how modern racing dynamics have shifted.

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Powless hopes to make up for missed 2024 spring season

In the Volta ao Algarve, Neilson Powless was EF Education-EasyPost’s top performer—an achievement that was almost unexpected, given that the American had been dealing with a lung infection in the lead-up to the season. “A turbulent January,” he called it. “But my form is coming back, and I feel good again. The classics are the big goal.”

Powless finished tenth on the Alto de Fóia and placed seventh in the final time trial, securing sixth place in the overall classification. However, he won’t be carrying this form into the Opening Weekend, as Milan-San Remo is expected to be his first major classic of the season. After that, he will throw himself into the Flemish spring races, just as he did in 2023, before ideally continuing through the Ardennes quartet if everything goes according to plan.

Last season, Powless only raced Strade Bianche before tendonitis disrupted his spring campaign. He bounced back strongly in the fall, claiming victories in Gran Piemonte and the Japan Cup, along with top-ten finishes in the Clásica San Sebastián, GP Québec, and Il Lombardia.

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