Scandinavian strength? Kron (Lotto-Dstny) and Leknessund (Uno-X) clear about their ambitions in hill classics

It was around the Flèche Brabançonne that we were able to talk to both Andreases. Leknessund was aggressive, while Kron was a bit more reserved. Eventually, both men finished in the main peloton, all set for the upcoming classics. "The Volta a Catalunya was my first race of the year," said Kron, who suffered a concussion during training at the end of February. "I have to say, despite it being a very tough race, it went quite well. The weeks after also went as I hoped, with a lot of training in Andorra. I did high-intensity training there."

Those high-intensity training sessions should help him in the famous trilogy. "Right now, I feel very good. I finished fourth in the Amstel Gold Race last year. I think there are good opportunities for me this year too," he ambitiously said, looking forward to the Netherlands' most important one-day race. "I'm really looking forward to the upcoming races. I think I'm ready. These are going to be important weeks. Our team is strong, so that's promising."

While Kron praised Lotto-Dstny, Leknessund in turn spoke of a strong collective at Uno-X (having moved from the current Team DSM to the ProTour team from his homeland last winter). "I rode the Volta a Catalunya, and it went well. I feel like I came out of it strong. Hopefully, that trend continues in the upcoming races," said the climber who also possesses a decent punch.

Like Kron, Leknessund will also compete in all the hill classics, where he believes his team has multiple cards to play. "We'll see how it goes. I don't have much experience in those types of races. So, it will also be a learning experience, with many new experiences. Of course, I'm aiming for the highest possible result," he cautiously stated. "We have several cards to play, but I hope to be the leader every now and then. Shared leadership is also an option. Tobias (Halland Johannessen, ed.) can also do very well in races like that. He's a fast finisher, I'm not."

"I'm really looking forward to what's to come. Especially the Amstel Gold Race, that should suit me well," Leknessund concludes. "That's very interesting, although the same certainly applies to Liège-Bastogne-Liège. As a team, we're aiming for the podium. That's what you should aim for if you're a team with ambition and confidence. A top-ten finish should definitely be achievable."