Fausto Masnada "didn't think he was good enough to be first choice" according to Soudal - Quick-Step's Klaas Lodewyck

Fausto Masnada, a former Giro d'Italia stage winner back in 2019, will be absent from this year's edition and according to Soudal - Quick-Step's sports director Klaas Lodewyck the choice was Masnada's.

"After Catalunya he did an excellent training camp in Tenerife, but he didn't get the desired feeling from it," says Lodewyck to Het Laatste Nieuws. "On the opening day of the Tour de Romandie, he caught a slight cold. Personally, we still thought he rode pretty well in that prologue. In the second time trial was already a bit 'downhill'. And after the mountain stage, in which he should normally have been able to hold his own among the better riders, there were real doubts. We didn't let him start the final stage."

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Instead of Masnada, Soudal - Quick-Step has opted for the likes of Ilan van Wilder, Pieter Serry and Louis Vervaeke among others to support leader Remco Evenepoel in his quest for the Maglia Rosa. "He also personally didn't think he was good enough to be first choice, and wasn't convinced of his level – he expressed that openly too. We appreciated that. By mutual agreement, we decided not to select him," confirms Lodewyck.

"It's time for the season's first Grand Tour and we can't wait to get things started, especially as we will race it with the world champion in our ranks," Davide Bramati who will be in the team car added. "We travel to Italy with a strong team, riders who are all determined to do a good race, show the Wolfpack spirit and help Remco get the best possible result in the general classification."