Are Alpecin-Deceuninck the new 'Kings of the Classics'? Their performances so far in 2024 having been nearly without fault, taking both the first two monuments on offer through Jasper Philipsen (Milano-Sanremo) and Mathieu van der Poel (Tour of Flanders).
Prior to the classics season really getting underway however, the team were given some criticism as not being up to scratch to support van der Poel, something Alpecin-Deceuninck boss, Christoph Roodhooft hasn't quickly forgotten. “You currently have a battery of analysts and columnists in Flanders, and in the long run it will probably be difficult for those people to come up with an original approach, but I think it is a shame that our team was questioned so much in advance," Roodhooft said after the Tour of Flanders to WielerFlits.
Surmounting these expectations, Alpecin-Deceuninck were present at the front throughout both Milano-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders and as Roodhooft is keen to note, the team are far more than just a one man team.
“I don't really understand the idea,” Roodhooft answers. “If you see how many people we were there this year at the foot of the Poggio, I think: we have proven many times that our team is present enough when it matters. Of course we can play less chess than Visma | Lease a Bike or Lidl-Trek, we also know that, but if Mathieu is good, we have a leader that they do not have.”
The only three riders able to get up the Koppenberg 😮 Mathieu Van der Poel, Matteo Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen were the only ones at the front of the men's race to make it up the cobbled climb without being forced to walk or put a foot down 💪 📷 Getty Images
