By Gilles Le Roc'h
VALKENBURG, Netherlands, April 15 - Gifted young
Dutch rider Thomas Dekker will look to build on last month's
Tirreno-Adriatico success and provide a home win in Sunday's
Amstel Gold Race.
The 21-year-old Dekker has emerged as the most promising
rider from the Netherlands in many years and his victory in the
Tirreno-Adriatico was ample proof that he had come of age.
Dekker is part of a strong Rabobank team that also features
former winner Erik Dekker and compatriot Michael Boogerd, as
well as Oscar Freire and fellow Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha,
fourth in Paris-Roubaix last Sunday.
"For us, it has always been a leading objective. The whole
team have checked the course on Wednesday and with Flecha,
Freire and Thomas Dekker, we have three great chances," said
team director Theo De Rooy.
Rabobank's chances have been improved by the absence last
year's winner Danilo Di Luca who has shunned the race to
concentrate on the upcoming Giro d'Italia.
"I feel confident that I can win the Giro after holding the
pink jersey for many days in 2005. But various health problems
have hampered my preparation and I don't feel strong enough to
tackle three classics in succession," said the Italian.
"I will concentrate on (next week's) Fleche Wallonne and
Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Tour of Flanders winner Tom Boonen has also decided to take
a rest after a hectic start to the season while Kazakh Alexander
Vinokourov will only be back to defend his title in Liege next
week.
As a result, the main opposition to Rabobank team should
come from Milan-San Remo winner Filippo Pozzato, Olympic
champion Paolo Bettini or fellow Italians Stefano Garzelli and
Luca Paoloini.
Recent winners of the Amstel Gold include Johan Museeuw,
Erik Zabel, Michele Bartoli, Vinokourov, Davide Rebellin and Di
Luca.