Geraint Thomas will line up as Team Sky?s leader for E3 Harelbeke in top form and with his confidence high after a strong start to the season. The Welshman, who comes into the Belgian race after an impressive ride in Milan-San Remo, was on the podium in E3 last year and believes that he and his team can challenge for top honours from now until the end of the cobbled campaign. ?I was pretty nailed the first few days after Milan-San Remo but I?m looking forward to the next few weeks and hopefully I?ll get something out of it,? Thomas told Cyclingnews at the Team Sky?s Belgian base in the centre of Kortrijk. Thomas has already tasted success this season with a stage win and the overall title in the Volta ao Algarve. Along with that triumph he has played significant roles in the outcome of Paris-Nice and last weekend?s Milan-San Remo.ADVERTISEMENT However he and the team are now fully focused on the next block of racing in Belgium and after skipping Dwars door Vlaanderen Team Sky?s core Classics contingent of Thomas, Stannard and Luke Rowe will start E3 with no fear as they take on teams such as Etiix-QuickStep and BMC Racing. ?Obviously QuickStep and BMC are strong but I don?t see us being any weaker than them. We have a few cards to play and Luke Rowe has stepped up this year and Eisel and Knees both know the roads so well. It feels like we?re constantly growing as a team, especially the core of us, and we know what we?re getting into when you compare us to 2011 when it was the first time I did these races. ?There is a real strength and depth to the overall field though. It?s so hard and there are so many strong riders out there. It?s not as easy as just saying we want to win a Classic. But I?m in the best shape I?ve been in and Stannard is going well too. We?re all in the best position physically.? You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

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