"There is work to be done" admits Soudal-Quick-Step after disappointing weekend

After a relatively disappointing start to the Classics season for the Soudal - Quick-Step team, they have now revealed how "there is work to be done" in the coming weeks if they are to improve.

"We were riding behind today and we'll take away a little lesson about this," Directeur sportif, Wilfred Peeters told Cycling News following the conclusion of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad where the team's best-placed rider was Davide Ballerini who finished sixth. "Ballerini was sixth, but he was never in the race."

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"I think the guys realise it wasn't good. You could see it from halfway through the race," he continued. "With their first acceleration, Jumbo-Visma immediately rode away. We had agreed before the race not to take control, but that doesn't mean we fall asleep. We should have been with that – if you have to chase once, you chase for the whole day."

Meanwhile at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, Fabio Jakobsen was the first Soudal-Quick-Step rider to cross the line, 43 seconds down on overall winner Tiesj Benoot in ninth. "We were unlucky with the crash that basically left half of our team out of the peloton," Jakobsen said post-race to the teams official website. "The rest of us gave our best, but it was difficult against such a strong leading group. It wasn’t our day, but the important thing is that we fought hard and that the condition is there for the upcoming races.”

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