Remco Evenepoel will be pinning on a number again at the end of this week.
For the first time in six years, the Tour de Suisse will be bookended by individual time trials, for a total of 38.4 kilometers against the clock that will weigh heavily on the overall standings. It goes saying that there’s again some serious climbing to be done at the eight-day race, Villars-sur-Olon, Crans Montana and the daunting Albulapass being the main hurdles that will stand between the GC favourites’ hopes and the famed yellow jersey.
As always at the Tour de Suisse – where our team has racked up 14 stage wins so far – there’s a bit of everything for everybody, with also the sprinters and the baroudeurs getting their fair share of opportunities between 11 and 18 June, when the last World Tour race of the month will take place.
World Champion Remco Evenepoel will lead Soudal Quick-Step there in his first outing since the Giro d’Italia. He will be joined by Quatre Jours de Dunkerque runner-up Kasper Asgreen, Mattia Cattaneo, James Knox, Belgian Champion Tim Merlier – winner of six races this season – Mauro Schmid and Bert Van Lerberghe.
“We have Remco back on the team and we are looking forward to it. The two individual time trials suit him, but also guys like Kasper, Mauro and Mattia can do something nice on those stages. As Remco returns after illness, we’ll just take it day by day and see what he can do in the mountains, where he’ll also have James to help him, in addition to the other guys. For the flat stages, our man is Tim, who can count on Bert to guide him, so we’re confident in our chances of getting some good results”, said sports director Geert Van Bondt.
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
