Serebryakov set to spearhead team in Classics

Euskaltel's Russian recruit will as expected be given leadership duties at his new team for the spring classics this year.

The 25-year-old came over from Team Type 1 with a solid reputation as a budding sprinter, but has also built a decent name for himself in one-day races. Not surprisingly, his schedule of races for the upcoming months is mostly made up of one-day races suited to sprinters and rouleurs.

He'll make his Euskaltel bow at the one-day Vuelta a Murcia later this month, and will then embark on one Northern-European classic after the other, aiming to get into shape for the three big ones: Gent-Wevelgem, the Ronde and Paris-Roubaix.

According to www.velo-club.net, he's set to take the start in the following races:

• Vuelta a Murcia
• Clásica de Almería
• Ronde van Drenthe
• Dwars door Drenthe
• Nokere Koerse
• Handzame Classic
• E3 Harelbeke
• Gent-Wevelgem
• Ronde van Vlaanderen
• GP de l'Escaut
• GP Pino Cerami
• Paris-Roubaix
• Paris-Camembert
• GP de Denain

It's yet to be decided whether he'll form part of a Grand Tour squad this season.

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi