Tudor’s dangerous “trident” has sharpened its knives: “Why not this year?”

Fabian Cancellara’s Swiss team already held its own in last spring’s classics, but the arrival of Stefan Küng instantly gives the line-up much more muscle. “Last year, Matteo Trentin and I often had to aim for a sprint from a group — that was our best chance,” Pluimers explained. “With Stefan, we add someone who should be able to go for a solo move.”

Pluimers laid it out logically back in January — and maybe it really is that simple. Because on the same day, Küng sounded just as optimistic during a press moment. The 32-year-old Swiss rider swapped Groupama-FDJ for Tudor, and he certainly didn’t do it to start winding down. “With the structure we have, we can compete with the best teams in the world,” he said.

Küng called the transfer “a step up” and, despite interest from WorldTour teams, opted for ProTeam Tudor. “I believe in this team. It’s young, but there’s a dynamic where everyone wants to reach the top. At a team that’s already been at the top, maybe that hunger is a bit less. You have to constantly want to take the next step.”

Küng wanted something new because, at 32, he still feels he can improve. And, as he put it ambitiously, he doesn’t want to keep riding merely for a “nice top ten.” “I’ll keep working on my physical qualities, seeing if I can squeeze another one percent out of my body. I do everything at 100 percent to get the maximum out of myself. And if that’s no longer possible, then we stop.”

A knife-between-the-teeth Küng is exactly what you need in a spring where Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar will want to dominate again. Küng called the presence of those two “difficult”, but added: “Nine times out of ten they’ll be better — but I’m focused on the one time it can work out. We’ve got a strong classics team, so why not this year?”

“Keep believing” is the motto within Tudor’s classics group. “I’ve finished top five almost everywhere, so I need that one shot that can change my career. With Mathieu and Tadej on the start list, maybe you’re not starting as the favourite — but you always have to believe and race to win if the chance presents itself. You have to take control yourself, instead of just reacting.”

Alongside Pluimers and Küng, Matteo Trentin is the third and final part of the trident — and Tudor can also count on riders like Marco Haller and Luca Mozzato. Trentin is already 36, but in those January interviews he also sounded hungry heading into the classics. “I really want to get results, after finishing last year strongly,” he said.

Trentin even won Paris–Tours at the end of last season, so the edge clearly hasn’t gone. Küng’s arrival should benefit him too. “For our classics team, he’s a huge addition. In a peloton with Van der Poel, Pogačar, and a strong Visma | Lease a Bike, our chances are now bigger to take them on.”

Trentin also praised Pluimers — who may well be the team’s joker card based on results. “Rick has a lot of potential and learns fast. He’s a rider for the future and he gets time. He can read a race and he’s quick. He ticks a lot of boxes when you talk about a proper classics rider. We start every race aiming to win — and from there we’ll see what we can achieve.”

Bram van der Ploeg (X: @BvdPloegg | e-mail: [email protected])