"Gives me goosebumps" - Soudal - Quick-Step reinvigorated by introduction of Luke Lamperti and Paul Magnier

A pair of youthful Soudal - Quick-Step stars at the Tour of Oman have refreshed and reinvigorated the team with their stunning performances according to sports director, Wilfried Peeters.

The two youngsters in question are 21-year-old American Luke Lamperti and 19-year-old Frenchman, Paul Magnier. “I called Patrick Lefevere yesterday. I told him: Patrick, I have never had so much fun with these guys. And especially because they are so respectful. The way they treat each other and everyone else is fantastic," Peeters tells Wielerflits gleefully. "They are already enjoying themselves at the table in the morning, they never panic."

The aforementioned boss of Soudal - Quick-Step, Patrick Lefevere, has already spoken very highly about his new superstar duo and although Peeters is clearly excited as well, he stresses the need to stay grounded. "We have a very young team and things might be different in the WorldTour races. Those guys lack some experience there," he assesses honestly.

“I just said it to Jan Hirt in the car : we thought, maybe we should put him in Kuurne. But we have to be careful with those men. Actually, Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar are bad examples. 19-year-olds who are immediately at the top, that is exceptional. That is why we were going to let Magnier ride many promising races. But this can be deviated from. If you feel that you have nothing more to learn from the promises or you are riding below your level, then it is better to stay with the pros. But we shouldn't skip any steps either.”

The pair have shone brightly at the Tour of Oman, with Lamperti currently second overall with one stage to go and Magnier having a stage win on Monday. The thing Peeters is most impressed by though, is the fact that the duo haven't let it get to their heads.

“In the car, those men said to me afterwards: in previous years I went swimming, skiing or playing basketball in the winter, but I wasn't able to do that this year. I'm a professional now, and look, for the first time I got a salary in my account. They say that with amazement. That kind of talk gives me goosebumps," he concludes. "I'm lucky to have a lot of experience in this round. I know what could happen tomorrow, or the day after. But their mouths are open, they are eager to learn. That is very pleasant to work with.”