On a recent training camp in the Algarve, several of the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl riders were not only preparing their form for the season with intervals and long hours on the bike, but also with specific training.
Leading out a sprinter on paper seems like an easy task. In a training scenario it is, but in races where you have usually around at least ten teams trying to do the same, frequently in roads that don't fit more than half a dozen riders side by side, it becomes a colossal task. The Belgian team however are known for their quality in the leadout work, so much so that most of the sprinters that go through the team end up wildly successful across the season, as shown last year by the incredible returns to the top of both Mark Cavendish and
Fabio Jakobsen.