Photo Courtesy of Team Quick-Step
Here’s a press release we received from Team Quick-Step with rosters for this weekend’s Belgian semi-classics. Come back soon for our Special Belgian Weekend Preview.
Yesterday, riders from the Quick-Step Cycling Team performed reconnaissance on the route for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the opening race on the Belgian cycling calendar.
The team riders pedaled for about 5 hours, and towards the end it started to rain.
“We had a good workout,†said DS Tom Steels. “The guys were motivated and in shape. The course has changed and in my opinion it’s a bit more challenging than previous editions. The last 60 kilometers that decide the race will be hard, and the route is really nervous. It’s definitely going to be a good race.â€
After the workout the team’s technical staff officially announced the two formations that will compete in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne over the weekend.
“We’ll be lining up at the starting line with two competitive formations,†explains Wilfried Peeters, who’ll be guiding the riders from the team car. “The athletes with more experience like Boonen, Chavanel, Maes and Steegmans will be riding in both races. Next to them they’ll have athletes suited to the different types of routes. On Saturday there will be riders more adapted to an intense course while on Sunday we’re lining up a group with faster riders for the sprints. At Kuurne one of our best young riders, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck will also be riding; it will be an important experience for him.â€
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Riders: Tom Boonen (Bel), Sylvain Chavanel (Fra), Kevin De Weert (Bel), Dries Devenyns (Bel), Nikolas Maes (Bel), Gert Steegmans (Bel), Niki Terpstra (Hol), Kevin Van Impe (Bel)
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Riders: Marco Bandiera (Ita), Tom Boonen (Bel), Sylvain Chavanel (Fra), Andreas Stauff (Ger), Gerald Ciolek (Ger), Nikolas Maes (Bel), Gert Steegmans (Bel), Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel)
D.S.: Wilfried Peeters