"It was really bad"

Jon Izagirre is right now gearing up for a tilt at the Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday, fresh off a blistering start to the year. The 23-year-old finished third last in 2011 and describes the experience as 'agony' - but he's still looking forward to the Monument.

"It's a very hard and complicated race", he told Prensa Cigesma. "I did it last year and barely managed to complete it. I still remember how bad it was, the agony... But I also look back at it fondly. In Belgium it's like a national holiday - it's an impressive sight. It'll be different this year though - I know the route better and I'm in better shape. But as I've said, it'll be hard. But I'll do my utmost."

Gorka's younger brother was a standout performer in Sunday's Gent-Wevelgem, what with forming part of the break of the day and going on to finish 15th. He says Rojas' quite inexplicable crash in the sprint probably robbed him of an even better result.

"We were caught inside the last 15 kilometres, and a sprint would decide the outcome. However, Rojas's fall hampered me and made me finish a few places behind what I've might have achieved if he hadn't crashed. Even though we eventually got caught, I always harboured hope of going all the way. To begin with, I didn't feel too good though. But as the climbs approached I started feeling better, and, along with fellow escapist Anders Lund, I decided to up the pace. We cooperated well and I started feeling really sharp."

The punchy rider will head on to Paris-Roubaix after Flanders. The 'Hell of the North' will close out his first half of the season, before he'll start preparing for the Giro d'Italia - his maiden Grand Tour.

"I'll turn my attention to the Giro after Roubaix. It'll be my first three-week race, and I'm looking forward to it big time!"