Former Paris-Roubaix winner already looking forward to a new cobbled classics campaign.
At 33 years of age, Niki Terpstra has etched his name in the history books, boasting an impressive palmares that includes a career-defining Paris-Roubaix victory, a pair of wins at Dwars door Vlaanderen, the overall classification at the BinckBank Tour and Tour de Wallonie, and three World TTT Championships titles, a performance only two other riders have achieved since the race was introduced in the program, in 2012.
This season, despite being hampered by bad luck on numerous occasions, Niki still showed his class on the cobbles, riding to fourth at Gent-Wevelgem, before improving on that result and taking a solid third at the prestigious Ronde van Vlaanderen. These results and the commitment displayed every time he pinned on a number have now materialized into a one-year contract extension with Quick-Step Floors.
"When I first came to the team in 2011, I was really excited and proud to have signed with a squad with such a tremendous history of victories, especially in the Classics, races I have a deep affection for. Now, seven years later, the feelings are the same, and I'm both proud and happy to stay with this amazing team. I know everybody here just like they know me, I feel at home, and this gives you huge confidence in what you do", Niki explained when asked about the decision to sign a new contract with Quick-Step Floors.
The Dutchman is now keen on ending the season on a high, before shifting again his focus on the northern classics, at the beginning of 2018: "This year was not the luckiest for me, so I am really eager to make up for this and get good results again. My main focus is on the Classics in the first months of the year and the small stage races, I really want to be there in the mix and fight for victories. Until then, I want to give it my all in this final part of the season and get some nice results. Having secured the contract for next year gives me a lot of motivation and allows me to focus 100% on the now."
"We are delighted to have Niki extend his contract with Quick-Step Floors. He's been with us for seven years now, a period in which he carved out several spectacular successes, which we are confident he can replicate next year. There aren't many riders of his caliber when it comes to the northern classics; you can take the entire pro peloton and see that only six or seven riders have a cobbled Monument to their name, so it was only natural to continue our successful partnership", Patrick Lefevere said after reaching an agreement with the 33-year-old.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
