Quick-Step looks ahead to Tour of Flanders, at 25 years as a cycling sponsor

A victory for Tim Merlier in Nokere, and a third place for Yves Lampaert in Brugge-De Panne, these are the only prey of the Wolfpack in Flanders so far. Soudal Quick-Step also seems to be condemned to a second-rate role in the Tour of Flanders, although they remain combative.

“We lost a battle, not the war”

Patrick ‘The Godfather’ Lefevre still has a good eye on it and keeps a cool head. “I don’t get angry, but I also don’t want them to sit there like beaten dogs. I drove to the Shamrock on Sunday after Gent-Wevelgem. They looked very resigned and then I think they shouldn’t do that . We have lost a battle, but not the war.”

Tim Merlier will make his debut in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday. The nervousness is present with him in small amount. “When I heard I had to do the Ronde, I didn’t sleep well. Although I’m a little stressed, it’s still a childhood dream come true. Now I can participate for the first time and I’m really looking forward to it. ” (continue reading below the photo)

Yves Lampaert is the only one who has already stood on the podium of a WorldTour race in Flanders. In Bruges-De Panne he sprinted to a third place. At the moment everyone is in the shadow of the big three (Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pogacar) and Lampaert is only too aware of that. “It is difficult to look around the big three, because they are enormous talents. It is a pity that I have to race against them, but that is the case. We are going to try to make it difficult for them.”

wait

Fortunately for the Wolfpack, spearheads are Kasper Asgreen, the winner of two years ago, and Julian Alaphilippe on the mend. The French ex-world champion went to training in Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday after a breakdown. “We definitely need to perform better, but that doesn’t mean we’re starting as top favourites. Maybe we need to race in a slightly different way. It’s up to us to race aggressively and open the race a little earlier than we normally would do,” says a determined Tim Declercq.

Analysts have proposed all possible tactical scenarios. It remains to be seen what plan the Wolfpack will come up with.