Julian Alaphilippe and Tim Merlier headline Soudal Quick-Step's Dwars door Vlaanderen lineup

The squad for Dwars door Vlaanderen by Soudal Quick-Step has been announced, featuring Julian Alaphilippe and Tim Merlier as main riders.

Merlier's season has been marked by six wins, the latest of which was in Danilith Nokere Koerse. This victory was significant for his team, as it was their only win in Belgian races this spring. However, he finished fourteenth in the demanding Gent-Wevelgem last Sunday.

Alaphilippe's forte lies in conquering challenging climbs, which are featured in the race. However, his season has not been as prolific as Merlier's, with only one victory in the Faun-Ardèche Classic in February. His participation in the E3 Saxo Classic was cut short due to mild fever and abdominal pain.

The team's sports director, Tom Steels, acknowledges that the competition won't be a walk in the park, but with a robust squad at their disposal, they have the potential to go for the win. “The race should have a quiet start, but once we hit the hills, everything will come to life. It won’t be easy to control and you really have to be there.”

“We hope that Julian is recovered after his problems in Harelbeke and finds his legs again to be up there. Davide is also coming in fresh, while Tim and Bert did a very good race on Sunday and they can go for their chance if everything comes back together. Julian and Tim are our leaders for Wednesday and we will try to get the maximum out of this race,” concluded Steels.

Soudal Quick-Step for Dwars door Vlaanderen: Julian Alaphilippe, Davide Ballerini, Tim Merlier, Casper Pedersen, Jannik Steimle, Bert Van Lerberghe and Stan Van Tricht.