Traditionally, Soudal - Quick-Step are always one of the major players on Opening Weekend in Belgium. This year however, they had just a sole top-10 placing at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne and no one even in the top-20 at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
“Somehow we have to be happy that we are not completely defeated, but competing against that force majeure is not easy," Yves Lampaert reflected post-Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, in conversation with Het Nieuwsblad, full of praise for the dominant force of the weekend, Team Visma | Lease a Bike. "Hopefully we still have some margin. But at Visma they also come from heights. It works exactly differently for them than it does for us.”
The most impressive highlight of the weekend for Soudal - Quick-Step was undoubtedly the performance of American prospect, Luke Lamperti as he continued his bright early season form with 7th at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne. “You have to look at the group we have here," expresses sports director, Wilfried Peeters, pleading for time.
"A combination of experienced riders and young guys, for whom these races are actually still too early. But we invest in them, in the hope that someone will emerge who can play along in the long term,” he concludes. “I don't want to talk about the preparation at altitude and without many races. It's about having enough good riders. Put Remco Evenepoel at the start here and he will be one of the best in the race, regardless of the preparation.”
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