The whole team will assemble on Passo San Pellegrino from the 6th to 23rd July, to train for the resumption of the racing season in August.
Deceuninck – Quick-Step have taken the next step on the process of returning to racing after the European coronavirus lockdown during the spring, by organising an altitude training camp between 6-23 July, in Val di Fassa.
The camp will be held in Val di Fassa at Passo San Pellegrino, in Italy, with the entire team staying at the Hotel Cristallo. Based in the centre of the Dolomites, a Unesco World Heritage Site, the area offers the perfect blend of terrain with climbs of over 2000 meters, as well as longer flatter areas around at 1000 meters, where some work can be done on TT bikes and with the team’s sprinters. As well a chance to partake in some quality training, the camp is a chance for the entire team to congregate and build on the famous Wolfpack spirit, ahead of what is sure to be an intense return to racing, with the likes of Remco Evenepoel, Julian Alaphilippe and Sam Bennett looking ahead to competing. The training camp has been made possible thanks to the support of Val di Fassa Tourism Board, who have appointed The Wolfpack an ambassadorial role, in order to promote Val di Fassa as cycling destination.
A number of procedures will be in place to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, with all staff and riders attending required to be tested either ahead of travelling or immediately upon arrival. Protocols will also be in place throughout the team’s stay in Italy, with everyone attending required to adhere to the highest hygiene standards, as well as keeping contact to those outside of the camp to a minimum. The team’s medical team will work with everyone within the team to make sure that all of the precautions needed are understood and carried out, with protocols under constant review and assessment.
Team CEO Patrick Lefevere said: “Staying in Val di Fassa is an ideal mix for us. First of all, it’s an incredibly beautiful place and the ideal place for cycling – I know the region as I came here in the past for skiing and this time, I am keen to discover it during the summer time. We were looking for somewhere we could stay that was over 2000 meters and the associated advantages comes with being at altitude. As well as the training we can do with our climbers, we also have some long flat areas where can work with our sprinters. The location also allows us to stay compact and install all the safety procedures that we need in these unprecedented times. More than anything, we are looking forward to being together as a group and getting the riders in to a great shape ahead of racing resuming.”
The presence of the Deceuninck – Quick Step is very important for the Ladin valley, as underlined by Fausto Lorenz, Chairman of the Val di Fassa Tourism Board: “We are glad to host the champions of the Wolfpack, who attract the attention of the media as well as that of numerous enthusiasts. We believe that our land, where important pages of the history of cycling have been written, can offer an opportunity to train for professional athletes and a lot of fun to those who simply look for some leisure and sport experiences in the majestic environment of the Dolomites. Our wish to the whole team is to best prepare in Fassa, to be successful in the important races scheduled from August onwards.”
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
