One of the most hard-working riders in the peloton, the 34-year-old Belgian has signed for two more seasons.
Iljo Keisse is a rider who doesn't need any presentation: not only that he has a long and impressive list of accomplishments, which includes 26 Six Day victories and a gold medal at the European Track Championships, but he's also responsible for some of the most memorable wins witnessed on the road in the past seasons, of which his stage triumphs at the 2012 Tour de Turkey and 2015 Giro d'Italia stand out.
During his spell with Quick-Step Floors – which he started seven years ago and happily agreed to extend until the end of 2019 – Keisse proved he's a world class domestique, one of the most revered in the pro peloton; be it Classics or Grand Tours, the Belgian has always put his strength, experience and determination in the team's service, helping it become one of the best and most successful in the world.
"I've been with Quick-Step Floors since 2010 and I know everybody here, it's really like a second family after so many years. It would feel strange to move to another team and to be honest I don't think I would be able to find a better squad to ride than with this", said 34-year-old Iljo, an important element in the team at the northern classics and the Giro d'Italia this season. "I'm really happy with where I am and with my role on the team. I feel my work is appreciated by my teammates and the sport directors. I'm also grateful that Patrick wanted to keep me on board; it gives me a lot of motivation knowing I will ride with this squad for another two years and continue to do what I do best, especially as I feel I'm getting better at this, despite turning 35 in a few months."
Patrick Lefevere, Quick-Step Floors' CEO, talked of the role Keisse has played in the past seasons and will continue to have in the team's structure: "Iljo has proven his worth on numerous occasions and showed that he's a real team player and a rider who always puts the squad's goals above his own objectives. We wanted him to stay in the team and be part of our successes in the next two seasons, but also to have him share his huge experience to the younger riders and guide them in the pro peloton."
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
