Team LottoNL-Jumbo sends its climbers Steven Kruijswijk and Robert Gesink to the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya starting Monday, March 20th, with a mountain stage of 178 kilometres. Over the week, with the race ending in Barcelona on Sunday, they will face rivals like Chris Froome.

George Bennett, who made his season debut in the Abu Dhabi Tour, will join the top Dutch climbers. The New Zealander placed seventh overall in the WorldTour race and left with an eye on Catalunya.

The team will face a team time trial of 41 kilometres the second stage. It starts and finishes in Banyoles and is nearly all up or down.

Nairo Quintana won the Volta a Catalunya in 2016. This year, he is staying home in Colombia. The team, however, will have to take on Froome, Alejandro Valverde and Alberto Contador. Kruijswijk, Gesink and Bennett will have a good opportunity to measure their fitness against their rivals.

Riders:

George Bennett

Victor Campenaerts

Stef Clement

Robert Gesink

Martijn Keizer

Steven Kruijswijk

Bert-Jan Lindeman

Alexey Vermeulen

Sport Directors: Grischa Niermann and Sierk-Jan de Haan

Doctor: Robert Kempers

Osteopath: Bjorn Vanmelkebeke (19-23)

Soigneurs: Richard Cremers, Michal Szyszkowski, Stefaan Lauwaert and

Gerard Spierings

Mechanics: Tim v/d Zanden, Hans Van Vianen and Niels van der Kuur

Busdriver: Piet de Vos