Astana Qazaqstan have reset after losing Mark Cavendish to a stage 8 crash at the Tour de France, with his lead-out man stepping up in the absence of the British veteran.
Former sprinter Mark Renshaw is staying with the team as a consultant until the finish of the race in Paris and says that Cees Bol will be one of the best-prepared sprinters in the bunch with his assistance.
"We've analysed all four sprints that we've had, I've given him all the overhead footage," Renshaw said before the start of stage 11 on Wednesday. "He's got all the videos of the final along with the whole team, so really just looking at who he needs to ride off the back of because we don't have a huge team to pull for him."
Renshaw this month returned to the Tour for the first time since his retirement from racing in 2019, initially with the goal of aiding Cavendish's attempt at a record-breaking 35th stage victory.
The Australian played a huge role in Cavendish's storied Tour success as a lead-out specialist. The pair were so successful that they in 2009 finished one-two on the Champs-Elysées.
"We obviously really miss him because he was integral," Renshaw said. "It's the reason a lot of the guys were here; [Gianni] Moscon was brought after his effort in the Giro and how well he connects with Cav, and Cees Bol was brought to the team for Cav as well.
"So, it's a big opportunity for Cees now to have a chance at doing a nice podium or a victory, and I'm treating every day the same as I would if Cav was here or not."
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was billed as the sprinter to beat in the lead-up to the Tour and has proved why, claiming his fourth win on stage 11 in Moulins. Bol placed 12th.
"It was quite a relaxed day, relatively. But with the rain in the final it made it a bit stressful," Bol said post-race. "We had quite a good position for a long time behind Soudal-QuickStep and Jumbo-Visma.
"he last 3km or so were super hectic and got a bit too far back I guess, and the final line was just, it's actually always, behind the first guys, always chaos because everybody tries to find the way out, so I was a bit in the chaos there and didn't really get to sprint full gas. That's always frustrating."
On Philipsen – 'I think he's beatable'
Making the switch from riding for someone to riding for yourself can be a physical and mental challenge, but one which Bol has already managed at least once this season.
"It's always really difficult," Renshaw said. "Luckily this year he's had a lot of opportunities that he's been able to sprint for himself already; on the downside that was difficult with Cav because he had to switch mentality then.
"But he got through yesterday's stage [stage 10] really nicely and as far as sprinters go, I think he's probably recovered the best out of all of them. But of course, he's not a pure sprinter like Philipsen or [Fabio] Jakobsen or [Dylan] Groenewegen, so he's going to need that freshness really to give him an edge."
Bol is competing in his career fourth Tour and has had opportunities at the race in the past. He last competed at the 2021 edition and in 2019 at Team DSM was supported in some stages alongside Michael Matthews.
"In 2021 he had a lot of opportunities, but he was telling me this morning that he didn't come in as well prepared as now, so he's a little bit older, more experienced, and no pressure on his shoulders," said Renshaw. "He'll relish in that, and all he has got to do is, if it opens up, go, and don't hesitate."
Philipsen remains the benchmark amongst the fast men at the Tour with his clean sweep of sprint victories, but Renshaw has not discounted the Belgian's competition.
"I think he's beatable," he said. "He has [Mathieu] van der Poel, but you've seen Caleb Ewan is probably quicker, but he's never in the right position. Groenewegen was really quick the race before the Tour, but he's struggled the last couple of sprints.
"Philipsen, he's just had an armchair ride. Positioning will be the key and if they let Van der Poel ride like he has then they just need to make sure they anticipate his jump."
Fabio Jakobsen, who suffered skin abrasions in a hard crash on stage 4, is yet to figure in the top three of a flat finish and has fought to make time cut on other occasions, but Renshaw tips he and his once all-conquering Soudal-QuickStep team will rebound.
"When you crash like that at the start of the Tour it's super difficult. It takes you back five steps. I think the big thing for them is that he's still in the race, so as long as he's in the race there will still be a chance and they have a super strong team. I anticipate they'll be once again head of the field coming in 2km to 1km to go," Renshaw said.
The pure sprinters have three remaining opportunities at this Tour – on stages 18, 19, and 21.
"Winning is going to be really difficult because we see one sprinter is super dominant this Tour," Bol said. "But I think I've got the legs to be close, yeah."
