February 15 2023 becomes a date indelibly etched into the history of the team.
Once again, and in spectacular fashion, history was made by Soudal Quick-Step when Mauri Vansevenant crossed the finish line atop Oman’s Green Mountain, scoring our 900th win and making sure that his name will forever be linked to that of The Wolfpack.
A total of 174 riders have been part of the squad since our inception in 2003, a year when we had to wait just a couple of weeks to taste our first ever success, brought by Servais Knaven on stage 5 of the Tour of Qatar. Of the many riders who sported the team’s jersey in the past two decades, 103 took at least one victory, in 34 different countries – from Argentina to the United States, and from Norway to Australia, via China – across five continents.
But the team didn’t just win with panache, it also created ever-lasting memories, and some of the sports’ most memorable moments of the last twenty years have been linked to our riders and their fantastic exploits.
Mauri Vansevenant’s ride on the final stage of the Tour of Oman is another moment our fans won’t forget anytime soon, and the 23-year-old couldn’t hide his satisfaction after delivering this win: “It’s unbelievable, that I can tell you! 900 victories in 20 years of cycling, this shows the strength and the mentality of this fantastic squad. I’m very happy and proud I could do this for the squad. Now we start our journey to the 1000th win!”
Soudal Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere was another happy man Wednesday afternoon, as he prepared to travel to Rwanda, in order to be present for Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team’s first outing of the year.
“To see Soudal Quick-Step reach 900 wins makes me very proud – it is an unbelievable number! When we started this team all those years ago, we were ambitious and we wanted to be one of the best squads in the world, but I don’t think anyone could envisage us clocking up 900 victories. It shows the dedication of the team’s management, staff and riders, sponsors and partners, and the public that has supported us over the years. I remember our first win with Servais in Qatar, but it’s hard to pick out a favourite victory, as every one of them is special in their own way, and they are a testament to the collectiveness that makes this team really unique. Here is to many more victories to come!”
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
