Ramon Sinkeldam under attention of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team who seek to supply it's leadout
Cycling
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team are having some changes to it's leadout scheme for 2023, and Patrick Lefevere has told in his weekly Het Nieuwsblad column that there are riders of interesting to the Belgian team not only to lead, but to help the team keep it's dominance in the sprints.
“As said, we are still looking for an additional lead out. Because it is a very specific position and because Michael Mørkøv does not have eternal youth. Leadout is a kind of bottleneck profession in the peloton, if you are looking for a good one. The scouting is difficult," Lefevere said. Under the attention of Quick-Step is Ramon Sinkeldam, currently part of Groupama - FDJ where he is a vital piece of support for Arnaud Démare.
The Dutch rider has in the past won races such as the Dutch national championships, Paris-Chauny and Binche - Chimay - Binche, however he's found his place in the World Tour with supporting roles for John Degenkolb, Marcel Kittel and more recently Arnaud Démare since 2018. Together with Jacopo Guarnieri, Miles Scotson and Ignatas Konovalovas, it's a group that the French team has built over the years to success. Sinkeldam is currently riding the Giro d'Italia, where he's helped Démare take three stage wins and the current lead of the points classification.
“When recruiting new riders, you request training data, look at the bio-passport and together with your gut feeling you usually have a good idea of what meat you have in the cockpit. That is not enough for lead outs: you have to watch videos and analyze sprints really deeply," Lefevere said.
"Because it is not because the sprinter does not win that the leaout has not done his job well. The reverse is equally true. But even if you've done all your homework, it remains to be hoped that the chemistry between sprinter and last man is somewhat right," Lefevere pointed out. He is hoping to build that chemistry in the Belgian team, either with fellow Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen or new recruit Tim Merlier.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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