Soudal - Quick-Step's new leaders headline Tour Down Under lineup - "Anything is possible there"

The 2026 World Tour season will start off with the Tour Down Under and slowly the race begins to take shape. Soudal - Quick-Step have conrfirmed their lineup for the race and it includes Alberto Dainese as the leader; with the Italian making his debut for the team in pursuit of stage wins in the bunch sprints.

“The race gets underway with a short prologue on road bikes, so anything is possible there," team DS Geert van Bondt said in a press release. "The sprinters will have their opportunities, but there are chances also for the puncheurs and the climbers". However it will be in the fast finishes that the team will have its best chances, as Dainese comes in as an experienced sprinter and also one of the leading figures in the race. He will be amongst the favourites for the sprints alongside Matthew Brennan, Sam Welsford, Danny van Poppel and Juan Sebastián Molano.

The team will have Casper Pedersen as his leadout man, but a team that will put some emphasis in the fast finishes through other rouleurs such as Pascal Eenkhoorn and Fabio van den Bossche who should be able to do quality work. But the team's ambitions won't be restricted solely to the sprints; as another of its signings Filippo Zana will be in contention for the overall classification. Pepijn Reinderink and Andrea Racagni complete the lineup.

"Normally, the GC will be decided on Willunga Hill, but it remains to be seen what happens on the circuit of the last day. Alberto will be our man for the sprint finishes and can count on a strong and experienced team, while for the overall standings, we hope we will get a good result with Filippo and Andrea. It’s a

Alberto Dainese
Pascal Eenkhoorn
Casper Pedersen
Andrea Racagni
Pepijn Reinderink
Fabio van den Bossche
Filippo Zana