As the season draws closer to its end, our team sets its eyes on several one-day races.
Tom Boonen, Fernando Gaviria, Iljo Keisse, Yves Lampaert, Nikolas Maes, Davide Martinelli, Julien Vermote and Lukasz Wisniowski will ride on Sunday the 76th edition of the Tour de l' Eurométropole, a race which will see the peloton tackle a lumpy 196-km long circuit between Poperinge and Tournai, Belgium's oldest city. Etixx – Quick-Step came out on top here twice in the past and will be again among the contenders, having several cards to play, depending on how the race will pan out.
One day later, Marcel Kittel will head the team for Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (Gronau – Münster, 226 kilometers), where he was triumphant in 2011 and 2012. The 28-year-old German, who is fine-tuning his form on home soil ahead of the World Championships in Qatar, can become the only rider victorious on three occasions in the event which is suitable to both sprinters and attackers.
Kittel, who has won 12 races so far in his first year with Etixx – Quick-Step, will be flanked by countryman Tony Martin, Gianni Meersman, Maximiliano Richeze, Fabio Sabatini, Matteo Trentin, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck and Stijn Vandenbergh for the 11th edition of the season's final German race.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
