Former champion Yves Lampaert will be part of a strong eight-man team.
Postponed to September, the Belgian National Championships are set to take place just two days after the conclusion of the Tour de France, on a hard 235.8km course between Halle and Anzegem. After a 104km-long loop featuring the iconic Muur-Kapelmuur, the peloton will take on several laps of an 18.8km circuit which will include two ascents of the Tiegemberg (750m, 5.6%), a climb used in many of the Spring Classics.
One of the three different Deceuninck – Quick-Step riders to have won the title since 2003, Yves Lampaert will be again on the start line next Tuesday. The 29-year-old became National Road Race Champion in Binche, two seasons ago, after a canny solo move inside the last kilometers, and will line up in Halle having enjoyed a solid return to competition this week at the Tour of Slovakia, where he finished in the top 10.
Tim Declercq and Dries Devenyns, two riders who again played an important role in the Wolfpack’s successful Tour de France, will also be in action, together with Iljo Keisse, Pieter Serry, Stijn Steels, Bert Van Lerberghe and neo-pro Mauri Vansevenant.
“A long and hard race awaits us. With the Muur early on the course and then seven laps of a lap featuring the Tiegemberg twice, it won’t be a walk in the park. We know that we don’t start as favourites, so we need to stay calm and focused and just see how the race will unfold before doing our move. The team is an experienced and motivated one and we hope we will get a good result at the end of the day”, said Deceuninck – Quick-Step sports director Klaas Lodewyck.
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