It's not that long ago that the 'Wolfpack' of Soudal - Quick-Step were rather dominant in the Classics around this time of year. In 2024 however, that's been far from the case.
Soudal - Quick-Step boss, Patrick Lefevere is not one to hold back on his criticism either, regularly venting his frustration via a public means. As such, one of the team's stalwarts, Yves Lampaert, realises some improvement is needed within the side for this Spring campaign to be considered a success.
"You have guys like Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert or Mads Pedersen who are superior. And we cannot make our mark," Lampaert admitted in a recent interview with Belgian TV talk show, Vive le Velo. "We no longer dictate the race like we used to. That's not fun."
Despite this however, Lampaert doesn't think things are quite as bad as some might suggest. "In the end: in Gent-Wevelgem there were two men in front and behind them was a group of about 40 riders, of which there were five of us. So that was how not disastrous it was," he clarifies. "But it is true that we no longer decide what happens in the race like we used to. That is difficult to accept at the moment."
"You have young guys like Paul Magnier, Luke Lamperti or William Junior Lecerf who are doing great. In Gent-Wevelgem, Gil Gelders also rode in the final as a first-year professional. I think it still needs some time to let those guys flourish," Lampaert continues. "In other areas, things are going very well. Mikel Landa finished second in the Volta a Catalunya and Remco Evenepoel is phenomenal."
"Of course, I would also like to show myself again. That will be very difficult in the Tour of Flanders," he concludes. "That has become a phenomenally difficult race and I don't know if we have the power for that. For me, that will be difficult. But I hope to be there in Paris-Roubaix."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Davide11-11-2026 - some of lidl-treks retention and recruiting has been puzzling in the mens and womens teams.Davide11-11-2026
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The boys are confident and motivated to tackle the many hills and cobbles of #DDV24 💪
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