Our team is ready for one of the most prestigious races on the calendar.
Bookended by stages against the clock, the Tour de Suisse gets underway in a couple of days from Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, with a short and flat prologue. This 87th edition should be one of the toughest in history, with no fewer than four summit finishes: Gotthard Pass, Cari, Blatten-Belalp and Villars-sur-Olon. Add to this the presence of Nufenenpass and Col de la Croix, and the uphill time trial on the final stage, and the overall picture is one of a tough and demanding week at the final World Tour event of the month.
Soudal Quick-Step has won 15 stages at the previous Tour de Suisse participations and will look to be again among the protagonists next week. Our seven-man team for the race held between 9-16 June will consist of Ayco Bastiaens, Gil Gelders, former Belgian Champion Yves Lampaert, William Junior Lecerf, Fausto Masnada – who just last month won the KOM classification at the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque – Louis Vervaeke and Jordi Warlop.
“We are going to this hard race with a nice team who is very motivated and capable of fighting for some good results. We’re curious to find out what William can do in the general classification, but we won’t put any pressure, and instead just take it day by day and see where he ends up in the standings”, said sports director Wilfried Peeters.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
