Twenty-four of our riders will compete for their national road or time trial championship title, in nine different nine countries.
Since 2003, Deceuninck – Quick-Step has won a total of 59 National Championships with 28 riders across 18 countries on three continents, the most recent title being added on this impressive list last August, when Kasper Asgreen soloed to victory in Middelfart.
Besides the Dane, who holds the title also in the ITT, our team has in its ranks three other defending champions – Rémi Cavagna, Josef Cerny and Ian Garrison – who over the next couple of days will line up, together with most of their teammates, for the National Championships.
Sports director Tom Steels, himself a four-time National Champion in the Belgian Road Race, made a preview of the upcoming events: “For the time trial, we have several riders who can be in the mix. Rémi has grown in confidence since the start of the season and is capable of defending his title in France. The same goes for the likes of Kasper and Josef, but we could see some nice things also from João, Ian and Mattia. In Belgium, both Remco and Yves are at a high level, they showed that in the Belgium Tour where they finished 1-2 in the general classification, and will have a shot at victory on a day were the high temperatures could play a role.”
“Concerning the road race, Belgium will be a very hard one and will suit the fast guys, but we’re going there with a strong team and will give our best, as always, although we know it won’t be easy. In France, the guys don’t have the numbers but are capable of featuring in the finale and fighting for the win. Kasper has a lot of confidence after his recent results in Algarve and the Dauphiné and will be one to watch in Denmark, but there’s a chance for some solid results also in Italy from Mattia – who’ll be at the start after a very solid Tour de Suisse – and the Czech Republic. National Championships week is one of the best of the year and we’re looking forward to it.”
Belgium
ITT (June 16): Ingelmunster – Ingelmunster (37.6km)
Riders: Remco Evenepoel, Yves Lampaert.
Road Race (June 20): Waregem – Waregem (220.5km)
Riders: Tim Declercq, Dries Devenyns, Remco Evenepoel, Iljo Keisse, Yves Lampaert, Pieter Serry, Stijn Steels, Bert Van Lerberghe, Mauri Vansevenant.
Czech Republic
ITT (June 17): Podluzany – Podluzany (40.4km)
Riders: Josef Cerny, Zdenek Stybar.
Road Race (June 20): Banovce nad Bebravou – Banovce nad Bebravou (225.1km)
Riders: Josef Cerny, Zdenek Stybar.
Denmark
ITT (June 17): Give – Give (47.8km)
Riders: Kasper Asgreen.
Road Race (June 20): Give – Give (227.1km)
Riders: Kasper Asgreen, Mikkel Honoré, Michael Mørkøv.
France
ITT (June 17): Thaon-les-Vosges – Epinal (45km)
Riders: Rémi Cavagna.
Road Race (June 20): Epinal – Epinal (245km)
Riders: Julian Alaphilippe, Rémi Cavagna, Florian Sénéchal.
Germany
Road Race (June 20): Filderstadt – Stuttgart-Degerloch (185.5km)
Riders: Jannik Steimle.
Italy
ITT (June 18): Faenza – Faenza (45.7km)
Riders: Mattia Cattaneo.
Road Race (June 20): Bellaria-Igea Marina – Imola (225.5km)
Riders: Davide Ballerini, Mattia Cattaneo, Fausto Masnada.
Netherlands
Road Race (June 20): Wijster – Wijster (197.1km)
Riders: Fabio Jakobsen.
Portugal
ITT (June 18): Campo de Feiras – Campo de Feiras (30.5km)
Riders: João Almeida.
Road Race (June 20): Castelo Branco – Castelo Branco (193.6km)
Riders: João Almeida.
USA
ITT (June 17): Oak Ridge – Oak Ridge (34.2km)
Riders: Ian Garrison.
Road Race (June 20): Knoxville – Knoxville (190.7km)
Riders: Ian Garrison.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
