A strong and motivated seven-man squad is prepared to take on our home race.
Ten overall wins with six different riders and more than twenty stage victories make Soudal Quick-Step the most successful team at the Belgium Tour this century, and our squad is motivated to enhance that palmares next week, when the 92nd edition takes place.
One of the oldest stage races in the world, the Belgium Tour will give this year to the sprinters a total of three opportunities – on the first, the second and last day – but the general classification will once again be shaped by the flat 15.2km individual time trial and the hilly stage to Durbuy, held over a relentless course containing more than a dozen climbs.
A stage winner here in 2022, 26-year-old Fabio Jakobsen will headline our team for the event scheduled between 14-18 June. The European Champion is set to be joined on the start line by Tim “El Tractor” Declercq, Yves Lampaert, lead-out master Michael Mørkøv, Casper Pedersen, Jannik Steimle and Stan Van Tricht.
“The main goal is to be there in the bunch sprints with Fabio, who’ll have the strong support of Yves, Michael and Casper. The ITT suits Yves, but also Casper and Jannik should get a good result there, while the penultimate stage, with all those hills and around 3000 vertical meters will play a big role in the final outcome. We’ll see how things go in the general classification, and if we’ll have an opportunity to be up there, we’ll give our best, as always”, said sports director Tom Steels.
Photo credit: ©Alex Broadway / Getty Images
